ANALYSIS OF SHORE-BASED SHIFTWORK SCHEDULE ROTATIONS AND SLEEP
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Authors
Sheehan, Sarah A.
Subjects
sleep
shift work
light
circadian entrainment
rotating schedule
watchfloor
performance
fatigue
cognitive function
shift work
light
circadian entrainment
rotating schedule
watchfloor
performance
fatigue
cognitive function
Advisors
Shattuck, Nita L.
Date of Issue
2021-09
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Navy and Marine Corps personnel, engaged in support and training operations, face challenges to obtaining consistent sleep due to shiftwork and rotating schedules. Shiftwork has been shown to decrease sleep quality and quantity, which contributes to fatigue and degraded cognitive functions including decision making, alertness, reaction time, problem solving, and ability to learn. When shift changes are more recurrent, the human body must adapt to artificial time changes more often, thereby increasing the likelihood of circadian misalignment and desynchrony. Circadian desynchrony reduces quality and quantity of sleep, which has a cascading negative effect on personnel performance. To ameliorate the negative effects of shift work, rapidly rotating schedules, and associated sleep deprivation, the timing of external cues may be intentionally modified to support circadian alignment to the required wake/work hours. Aligning more quickly to shifting work hours could result in decreased sleep deprivation, improved sleep quality, decreased fatigue, and reductions in the negative impact on cognitive function. This work assessed the current state of sleep, fatigue, mood, and performance of a shore-based watchfloor, establishing a baseline for further study and comparative analysis when a schedule change or intervention is introduced. This study will inform recommendations to shore-based watchfloors that utilize non-traditional work schedules to cover 24-hour operations.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Operations Research (OR)
Organization
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NPS Report Number
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Distribution Statement
Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.