The impact of sleep restriction while performing simulated physical firefighting work on cortisol and heart rate responses

Wolkow, Alexander; Aisbett, Brad; Reynolds, John; Ferguson, Sally A.; Main, Luana C.

doi:10.1007/s00420-015-1085-3

Cited by 23 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 87 publications

(133 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…It is possible the interactions revealed here between IL‐6 and cortisol may explain how restricted sleep and physical work in our previous study resulted in an elevated cortisol profile in the afternoon and evening when compared to physical work and an 8‐h sleep (Wolkow et al. ). Elevated evening (and afternoon) cortisol has been linked to insulin resistance and impaired memory (Dallman et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…Prior work from this sample has examined cortisol and cytokine responses separately (for cortisol findings, see Wolkow et al. ; and for cytokine findings, see Wolkow et al. ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…), can result in either increased cortisol (Opstad and Aakvaag ; Opstad ; Wolkow et al. ) or altered cytokine levels (Gundersen et al. ; Lundeland et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Firefighters exposed to multiple days of physical firefighting work separated by either an 8‐h or restricted 4‐h sleep exhibited significant changes in inflammatory cytokines (IL‐6, TNF‐ α , IL‐8, IL‐1 β , and IL‐4) and daily cortisol levels (Wolkow et al. ,b). Determining if these changes in cortisol and cytokine levels are related is important in understanding the physiological interactions underlying these responses to physical work and sleep restriction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research has demonstrated that the combined stressors of sleep restriction and physical work, which are common in emergency service occupations such as firefighting , can result in either increased cortisol (Opstad and Aakvaag 1981;Opstad 1994;Wolkow et al 2015a) or altered cytokine levels (Gundersen et al 2006;Lundeland et al 2012;Abedelmalek et al 2013;Wolkow et al 2015b). However the degree to which cytokine and cortisol activities are related in the context of emergency work demands is unknown.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Relationships between inflammatory cytokine and cortisol responses in firefighters exposed to simulated wildfire suppression work and sleep restriction

et al. 2015

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The interplay between inflammatory and cortisol responses modulates an appropriate response to a stressor. Exposure to severe stressors, however, may alter the actions and relationships of these responses and contribute to negative health outcomes. Physical work and sleep restriction are two stressors faced by wildland firefighters, yet their influence on the relationship between inflammatory and cortisol responses is unknown. The aim of the present study was to quantify the relationship between the cytokine and cortisol responses to sleep restriction while performing simulated physical wildfire suppression work. Firefighters completed 3 days of simulated physical firefighting work separated by either an 8-h (Control condition; n = 18) or 4-h sleep (Sleep restriction condition; n = 17) opportunity on each of the two nights. Salivary cortisol and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-4, and IL-10) were measured throughout each day. An increase in morning IL-6 was related to a rise (6.2%, P = 0.043) in evening cortisol among firefighters in the sleep restriction condition. Higher morning IL-6 levels were related to increased (5.3%, P = 0.048) daily cortisol levels, but this relationship was not different between conditions. Less pronounced relationships were demonstrated between TNF-α, IL-10, IL-4, and cortisol independent of the sleep opportunity, but relationships did not persist after adjusting for demographic factors and other cytokines. These findings quantify the relationship between cytokine and cortisol responses among wildland firefighters exposed to simulated occupational stressors. Potential disturbances to the IL-6 and cortisol relationship among sleep-restricted firefighters’ supports further investigations into the negative health effects related to possible imbalances between these systems.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…Prior work from this sample has examined cortisol and cytokine responses separately (for cortisol findings, see Wolkow et al. ; and for cytokine findings, see Wolkow et al. ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…), can result in either increased cortisol (Opstad and Aakvaag ; Opstad ; Wolkow et al. ) or altered cytokine levels (Gundersen et al. ; Lundeland et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Relationships between inflammatory cytokine and cortisol responses in firefighters exposed to simulated wildfire suppression work and sleep restriction

et al. 2015

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Working hours, sleep, and fatigue in the public safety sector: A scoping review of the research

Allison

Tiesman

Wong

et al. 2022

American J Industrial Med

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background The public safety sector includes law enforcement officers (LEO), corrections officers (CO), firefighter service (FF), wildland firefighting (WFF), and emergency medical services (EMS), as defined in the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Across these occupations, shiftwork, long‐duration shifts, and excessive overtime are common. Our objective was to identify research gaps related to working hours, sleep, and fatigue among these workers. Methods We used a scoping review study design that included searches of MEDLINE, Embase, CAB Abstracts, Global Health, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Scopus, Academic Search Complete, Agricultural and Environmental Science Collection, ProQuest Central, Cochrane Library, Safety Lit, Homeland Security Digital Library, and Sociological Abstracts using a range of occupational search terms and terms related to working hours, sleep, and fatigue. Results Out of 3415 articles returned from our database search, 202 met all inclusion criteria. Six common outcomes related to working hours, sleep, and fatigue emerged: sleep, fatigue, work performance, injury, psychosocial stress, and chronic disease. Nearly two‐thirds (59%, n = 120) of the studies were observational, of which 64% (n = 77) were cross sectional and 9% were (n = 11) longitudinal; 14% (n = 30) of the studies were reviews; and 19% (n = 39) were experimental or quasi‐experimental studies. Only 25 of the 202 articles described mitigation strategies or interventions. FFs, LEOs, EMS, and WFFs were the most studied, followed by COs. Conclusions In general, more longitudinal and experimental studies are needed to enrich the knowledge base on the consequences of long working hours, poor sleep, and fatigue in the public safety sector. Few experimental studies have tested novel approaches to fatigue mitigation in diverse sectors of public safety. This gap in research limits the decisions that may be made by employers to address fatigue as a threat to public‐safety worker health and safety.

show abstract

Predisposing Factors for Exertional Heat Illness

Pryor

Périard

Pryor

2019

Exertional Heat Illness

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The impact of sleep restriction while performing simulated physical firefighting work on cortisol and heart rate responses

Cited by 23 publications

References 87 publications

Relationships between inflammatory cytokine and cortisol responses in firefighters exposed to simulated wildfire suppression work and sleep restriction

Relationships between inflammatory cytokine and cortisol responses in firefighters exposed to simulated wildfire suppression work and sleep restriction

Working hours, sleep, and fatigue in the public safety sector: A scoping review of the research

Predisposing Factors for Exertional Heat Illness

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About