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Cited by 69Sleep and Work-Related FatigueCircadian rhythm and melatoninSleep and related disorders

Sleep and circadian rhythms in mining operators: Limited evidence of adaptation to night shifts

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Ferguson, Sally A., Kennaway, David J., Baker, Angela, Lamond, Nicole, Dawson, Drew·2012·Applied Ergonomics
DOI 10.1016/j.apergo.2011.11.003
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Abstract

Cumulative sleep deprivation is often associated with work patterns involving night shift or early morning shifts. Adaptation of the circadian system to the shift pattern is reported to promote improved duration and quality of sleep and a concurrent improvement in performance. The current study followed twenty-nine operators at a live-in mining operation working to a seven-day, seven-night shift pattern who collected saliva samples for melatonin measurement, recorded sleep using activity monitors and diaries, and underwent performance testing (psychomotor vigilance task) for one complete roster cycle. The time of onset of melatonin secretion changed significantly (P=0.022) across the week of both Day and Night shifts (2104 h ± 16 min versus 2130 h ± 16 min, respectively), but the small magnitude of the change indicates a lack of true circadian rhythm adaptation to the lifestyle. Total sleep time was longer following the seventh Day shift (associated with a period of 24 h off prior to the commencement of Night shifts). There were no other changes in total sleep time. Further, there were no improvements in sleep onset latency or sleep efficiency on Day or Night shifts. However, reaction times recorded at the end of the shifts slowed across the seven Day and seven Night shifts indicative of impairments in psychomotor performance (F(6,168)=6.087, P<0.001). The results suggest that previous reports of adaptation to consecutive night shifts cannot necessarily be applied to onshore or Australian environments. Adaptation is dependent on factors such as light exposure, environmental conditions, shift parameters such as wake-up, work start and work end times and individual characteristics.

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  • Shift work is very frequently associated with abbreviated or otherwise disturbed sleep.

    “shift work is very frequently associated with abbreviated or otherwise disturbed sleep (Ferguson et al., 2012; Lin et al., 2012; Machi et al., 2012; Mahan et al., 1990; Roach et al., 2012).”

    From Addressing sleep disturbances: an opportunity to prevent cardiometabolic disease? (2014) · cites this paper as Ferguson et al., 2012

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Authors
Ferguson, S. A., Kennaway, D. J., Baker, A., Lamond, N., & Dawson, D.
Affiliations
  • University of South Australia (AU)
  • The University of Adelaide (AU)
Corresponding author
Ferguson, Sally A.
ORCID
Venue
Applied Ergonomics
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-07
Volume
43
Issue
4
Pages
695-701
ISSN
0003-6870 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.apergo.2011.11.003
OpenAlex
W1963949254
Cited by
69
References
60
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 3
FWCI
5.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Applied Ergonomics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Acquire (CQUniversity) (submittedVersion)
  • Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Minerals Council of Australia
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
Keywords
night shift work, mining operators, sleep deprivation, total sleep time, psychomotor performance, reaction time, sleep efficiency, shift work, light exposure
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Physiological, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Attention, Australia, Circadian Rhythm, Humans, Melatonin, Mining, Psychomotor Performance, Reaction Time, Saliva, Sleep, Time Factors, Work Schedule Tolerance, Occupational Health

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