SHIFTWORKER SLEEP STRATEGIES

抄録

This paper examines the sleep strategies practiced by shiftworkers and explores sleep variable interventions which might reduce the incidence of sleep complaints among shiftworkers. For analysis purposes, a day during the workweek can be segmented into four periods of time : work, sleep, an optional and shorter sleep period or naps, and off time. An analysis of survey data from shiftworkers indicates that the morning, afternoon/evening, and night shifts result in differences for these periods in sequence, length, and time-of-day. The sequence for day shift workers is sleep, work, nap, off time, for afternoon/evening workers sleep, off time, nap, work, and for night workers sleep, off time, nap, work. Night shift workers have the shortest sleep period, the longest nap period, sleep during the day, have a higher incidence of napping, and sleep after rather than before work. Thus, as a group they show a high incidence of sleep complaints. However, night shift workers who do not report napping show a significantly lower incidence of sleep complaints than those who report nap times. The data suggest a number of possible sleep variable interventions : limiting night shift work to natural short sleepers, recommending minimal napping while on the night shift, changing the usual sequence of periods to allow sleep at a more favorable time-of-day, and maintaining the same sequence for all shifts.