engleski

Sleep patterns and sleepiness of adolescents attending school in shifts

Our previous research on sleep and sleepiness of adolescents attending school in shifts was based on survey data. We now conducted a diary study to directly compare adolescents’ sleep patterns and subjective daytime sleepiness over a week of morning- and a week of afternoon shifts. A total of 97 high school students participated (m=42, f=55 ; modal age 16 yrs). They kept sleep-wake diaries at bedtime and upon awaking for 14 consecutive days, half of them starting the study on a week of morning- and the other half on a week of afternoon shifts. The results showed that students fall asleep somewhat later on afternoon schedule than on morning schedule. Irrespective of schedule, the difference between school nights and weekend nights was observed: on first weekend night (Friday) they fall asleep 37 min later, and on second weekend night (Saturday) 109 min later than on last school night. On each schedule adolescents wake up at different times which do not change over school days: on morning shifts they wake up around 6:25 and on afternoon shifts around 8:30. The difference in their wake up time between first weekend day and last school day is 193 min for morning schedule and, 58 min for afternoon schedule. Throughout school days of each schedule their sleep duration remains unchanged: on average 410 min on morning schedule, and 515 min on afternoon schedule. However, on Friday night of morning schedule they prolong their sleep on average for 97 min, and on Friday night of afternoon schedule for 24 min. On Saturday night compared to Friday night a decline in sleep duration was observed after both schedules. Sleepiness estimated 30 minutes upon awaking was greater on school days than on weekends, and more pronounced on morning- than on afternoon school days. Sleepiness estimated at bedtime increased over school nights and declined on weekend nights, irrespective of schedule. The results point to the advantage of afternoon schedule regarding sleep duration and levels of daytime sleepiness, as well as to the importance of first weekend night for paying off the sleep debt accumulated during morning schedule.

alertness; diary study; intraindividual variability; sleep patterns; school schedule

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