Promoting alertness with a short nap during a night shift

Sallinen, Mikael; Härmä, Mikko; Åkerstedt, Torbjörn; Rosa, Roger R.; Lillqvist, Outi

doi:10.1046/j.1365-2869.1998.00121.x

Cited by 165 publications

(113 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…These findings were consistent with previous studies indicating the superiority of naps taken near the circadian nadir. 5,14 The data on higher parasympathetic nerve activity during the 120-min and 60-min naps in the latter half of the night shift compared with the 120-min and 60-min naps in the former half is consistent with the sleep quality data.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

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Effects of the length and timing of nighttime naps on task performance and physiological function

Takeyama¹,

Matsumoto

Murata³

et al. 2004

Rev. Saúde Pública

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ObjectiveTo examine the effects of the length and timing of nighttime naps on performance and physiological functions, an experimental study was carried out under simulated night shift schedules. Methods Six students were recruited for this study that was composed of 5 experiments. Each experiment involved 3 consecutive days with one night shift (22:00-8:00) followed by daytime sleep and night sleep. The experiments had 5 conditions in which the length and timing of naps were manipulated: 0:00-1:00 (E60), 0:00-2:00 (E120), 4:00-5:00 (L60), 4:00-6:00 (L120), and no nap (No-nap). During the night shifts, participants underwent performance tests. A questionnaire on subjective fatigue and a critical flicker fusion frequency test were administered after the performance tests. Heart rate variability and rectal temperature were recorded continuously during the experiments. Polysomnography was also recorded during the nap. Results Sleep latency was shorter and sleep efficiency was higher in the nap in L60 and L120 than that in E60 and E120. Slow wave sleep in the naps in E120 and L120 was longer than that in E60 and L60. The mean reaction time in L60 became longer after the nap, and faster in E60 and E120. Earlier naps serve to counteract the decrement in performance and physiological functions during night shifts. Performance was somewhat improved by taking a 2-hour nap later in the shift, but deteriorated after a one-hour nap. Conclusions Naps in the latter half of the night shift were superior to earlier naps in terms of sleep quality. However performance declined after a 1-hour nap taken later in the night shift due to sleep inertia. This study suggests that appropriate timing of a short nap must be carefully considered, such as a 60-min nap during the night shift. Resumo ObjetivoPara investigar os efeitos da duração e horário de cochilos noturnos sobre o desempenho e as funções fisiológicas foi realizado um estudo experimental por meio do trabalho noturno simulado.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

“…In addition, the slower reaction time continued until the end of the night shift. Sallinen et al 14 examined the effects of 50-min and 30-min naps on three-shift workers with timing similar to that in our study. However, their results indicated no serious sleep inertia and no difference between earlier and later naps.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Effects of the length and timing of nighttime naps on task performance and physiological function

Takeyama¹,

Matsumoto

Murata³

et al. 2004

Rev. Saúde Pública

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“…Napping before and during night shifts cuts the time spent awake, and even short periods of sleep improve alertness and performance considerably (45,126). Too short a time-off interval or an early starting time for a night shift makes napping before the night shift difficult.…”

Section: Individual Worktime Controlmentioning

confidence: 99%

Workhours in relation to work stress, recovery and health

Härmä

2006

Scand J Work Environ Health

321

229

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This paper aims at describing the associations between workhours and psychosocial work characteristics and reviews the health effects of workhours and the related pathways. The role of insufficient sleep as a possible common pathway from workhours and work stress to cardiovascular illness is discussed. Finally, the key possibilities for improving recovery and health through changes in workhours are identified. Night work and shift work are related to a wide range of health effects, the evidence for the risk of cardiovascular morbidity being the strongest. Insufficient or poor sleep, related to insufficient recovery, can be a common pathway from long workhours, shift work, and work stress to cardiovascular illness. The most promising worktime-related means for decreasing the psychosocial workload and negative health effects of workhours would be (i) to regulate overtime and excessive workhours, (ii) increase individual worktime control, and (iii) increase recovery from the introduction of sleep-promoting principles into shift rotation.

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“…Sleep opportunities later in the night contain more total sleep (Gillberg, 1984) more non-rapid eye movement stage 2 (S2), more slow wave sleep (SWS), have shorter latencies, and fewer awakenings (Sallinen et al, 1998) and may be more effective in maintaining alertness and performance (Gillberg, 1984).…”

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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Promoting alertness with a short nap during a night shift

Cited by 165 publications

References 19 publications

Effects of the length and timing of nighttime naps on task performance and physiological function

Effects of the length and timing of nighttime naps on task performance and physiological function

Workhours in relation to work stress, recovery and health

Scheduled napping as a countermeasure to sleepiness in air traffic controllers

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