Sleep and wakefulness in a group of shift workers

Abstract

Tune, G. S. (1969).Brit. J. industr. Med.,26, 54-58. Sleep and wakefulness in a group of shift workers. Fifty-two shift workers recorded their hours of sleep and wakefulness for a period of 10 weeks. Compared with matched non-shift-working control subjects it was found that they took a higher average duration of sleep per 24 hours and more and longer naps outside the major sleep period. A comparison of the on and off duty records from the shift workers showed that a sleep debt was incurred during the former which was largely paid off by taking long naps in the latter. It is suggested that the longer sleep taken by shift workers may be necessary in order to pay off specific kinds of sleep debt.