Countermeasures for night work performance deficits: The effect of napping or caffeine on continuous performance at night

Schweitzer, Paula K.; Muehlbach, Mark J.; Walsh, James K.

doi:10.1080/02678379208259966

Cited by 37 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…These effects are especially bene®cial in low alertness situations. Consumption of caffeine has been found to remove the performance impairments produced by fatigue (Lorist et al, 1994), night work (Schweitzer et al, 1992), the post-lunch dip in alertness (Smith et al, 1990), minor illnesses such as the common cold (Smith et al, 1997) and sedative drugs, e.g. scopolamine (Riedel et al, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of caffeine on simulated driving, subjective alertness and sustained attention

Brice

Smith

2001

Human Psychopharmacology

125

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There is evidence that caffeine increases alertness and reduces fatigue. This may be especially so in low arousal situations (e.g. working at night or for prolonged hours). Caffeine has also been found to improve performance on vigilance tasks and simple tasks requiring sustained response. Again, these effects are often clearest when alertness is reduced, although there is evidence that benefits may still occur when the individual is unimpaired. Most studies to date have investigated the behavioural effects of caffeine in laboratory experiments using artificial tasks. In the current study 3 mg/kg caffeine was found to improve steering accuracy in a 1 h simulated drive. Measures of mood and performance on a sustained attention task also showed the benefits of caffeine. These findings suggest that laboratory results reflect a general benefit of caffeine that may also be observed in real-life situations. Other evidence examining the effects of caffeine on performance efficiency over the working day has shown the benefits of caffeine consumption on measures of sustained attention and alertness. This study also provided evidence suggesting that caffeine is often consumed when alertness is low to maximise alertness and performance efficiency. The implications of these findings for road safety are also considered. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of caffeine on simulated driving, subjective alertness and sustained attention

Brice

Smith

2001

Human Psychopharmacology

125

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“…Short naps are frequently recommended as a strategy to minimise these effects (Å kerstedt, 2006;Bonneford et al, 2004;Schweitzer et al, 2006). Napping preceding night work has been demonstrated to be an effective countermeasure, both in laboratory studies and field settings (Dinges et al, 1987;Harma et al, 1989;Schweitzer et al, 1992Schweitzer et al, , 2006. However, depending on the shift start time, this strategy may be difficult to implement because of the evening wake maintenance zone and ⁄ or competing time demands.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scheduled napping as a countermeasure to sleepiness in air traffic controllers

Signal

Gander

Anderson³

et al. 2009

Journal of Sleep Research

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SUMMAR Y The aims of this study were to measure sleep during a planned nap on the night shift;and to use objective measures of performance and alertness to compare the effects of the nap opportunity versus staying awake. Twenty-eight air traffic controllers (mean age 36 years, nine women) completed four night shifts (two with early starts and two with late starts). Each type of night shift (early ⁄ late start) included a 40-min planned nap opportunity on one occasion and no nap on the other. Polysomnographic data were used to measure sleep and waking alertness [spectral power in the electroencephalogram (EEG) during the last hour of the night shift and the occurrence of slow rolling eye movements (SEMs) subsequent to the nap]. Psychomotor performance task [Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT)] was completed at the beginning and end of the shift, and after the nap (or an equivalent time if no nap was taken). Nap sleep latencies were relatively long (mean = 19 min) and total sleep time short (mean = 18 min), with minimal slow wave sleep (SWS, mean = 0%), and no rapid eye movement sleep. Nap sleep resulted in improved PVT performance (mean and slowest 10% of reaction time events), decreased spectral power in the EEG and reduced the likelihood of SEMs. The occurrence of SWS in the nap decreased spectral power in the EEG. This study indicates that although sleep taken at work is likely to be short and of poor quality it still results in an improvement in objective measures of alertness and performance.k e y w o r d s air traffic control, naps, neurophysiological alertness, night shift, psychomotor performance, within-subjects field study

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“…In general, caffeine has been interpreted as having stimulant-like properties, evidenced by changes in cortical activity as measured by EEG and measurements of sleepiness (e.g. Bonnet and Arand, 1994;Brice and Smith, 2001;Deslandes et al, 2005;Hayashi et al, 2003;Horne and Reyner, 1996;Landolt et al, 1995;Penetar et al, 1993;Reyner and Horne, 1997, 2000Schweitzer et al, 1992;Shilo et al, 2002;Smith et al, 1993;Walsh et al, 1990;Wesensten et al, 2002;Wright et al, 1997;Zwyghuizen-Doorenbos et al, 1990). However, in the absence of adequate controls for withdrawal and withdrawal reversal, research results are ambiguous.…”

mentioning

confidence: 95%

Effects of dietary caffeine on EEG, performance and mood when rested and sleep restricted

Keane

James

2008

Human Psychopharmacology

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Countermeasures for night work performance deficits: The effect of napping or caffeine on continuous performance at night

Cited by 37 publications

References 19 publications

The effects of caffeine on simulated driving, subjective alertness and sustained attention

The effects of caffeine on simulated driving, subjective alertness and sustained attention

Scheduled napping as a countermeasure to sleepiness in air traffic controllers

Effects of dietary caffeine on EEG, performance and mood when rested and sleep restricted

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