Dissertation
Field studies of sleep and performance in operational settings
Washington State University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
08/2010
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000005644
Abstract
Sleep loss leads to degraded alertness and cognitive performance. The management of factors influencing performance (time on task, sleep/wake history, and circadian rhythm) is important to workplace effectiveness. Contemporary work schedules limit sleep opportunities, leading to chronic sleep restriction. The present studies sought to examine the relationship between extended work hours, sleep, and subsequent performance. In Study 1, equipment maintenance personnel were studied during normal and extended work hours. Objective measures of sleep and performance demonstrated that extending work hours was associated with sleep loss. In this study, for each additional hour worked, an hour of sleep was lost. Contrary to expectations, objectively measured performance improved in the extended work hours condition. In Study 2, medical residents were studied while working both day shifts and a one month "night float" (extended night shift) rotation. In addition to the sleep and performance measures obtained in Study 1, two measures of learning and memory performance were administered. Medical residents obtained nearly equal amounts of objectively measured sleep while working both day and night float shifts; however, how this sleep was obtained differed between the day shift and night float conditions. Day shift sleep was obtained in a single, off shift, night time sleep bout. For the night float, some sleep was obtained in an off shift, daytime sleep bout. This daytime sleep bout was supplemented in the night float condition by napping on shift, while working the night float. By thus augmenting their truncated daytime sleep with night time, on shift naps, residents obtained near equivalent amounts of total sleep/24 hours working day shift and night float. Consistent with equivalent total sleep times between conditions, no differences in objective performance working day shift or night float were found. Field studies such as the ones presented here will be instrumental to forming the evidence-base of a fatigue risk management system. Such a system would allow for the management of sleep and duty times to sustain optimal performance in the workp
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Details
- Title
- Field studies of sleep and performance in operational settings
- Creators
- Jennifer Lynn McDonald
- Contributors
- Paul Kwon (Chair)Gregory Lucas Belenky (Committee Member)DENNIS G. DYCK (Committee Member)John P. Garofalo (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Department of Psychology
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 77
- Identifiers
- 99901054532501842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation