Slumbered Sleep

Shift workers who work rotating night shifts
must remain awake during periods when they
are more likely to fall asleep; instead, their
sleep phase is pushed to the daytime when
their sense of performance, alertness, and
core body temperature are rising. A shorter
night’s sleep results in tiredness and sleep
deprivation throughout the day. Circadian desynchrony
has a negative impact on productivity,
safety, and health over time. The bodies
circadian rhythm can adjust to new ambient
time cues. Depending on how many time
zones they will pass through, travelers might
expect their circadian systems to adjust to the
new time zone. Every additional time zone requires
an estimated one day of acclimatization.
However, people who frequently fly internationally,
for example aircrew cabin workers,
are more likely to experience persistent jet lag
and reduced cognitive ability. (Shochat, 2012)
Additionally, it has been found that nighttime
exposure to bright lights has an immediate
impact on both behavioral and physiological
characteristics. Bright light exposure improved
behavioral performance, decreased tiredness,
increased alertness, and slowed the core
body temperature reduction during the night.
Collectively, these findings demonstrate that
bright light can be used advantageously to reset
an individual’s circadian clock.
FIGURE 23
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