SLEEP OF NIGHT WORKERS: EEG RECORDINGS

Ten hospital corpsmen working the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift were selected for a study of night workers. Each completed a questionnaire describing his experiences with night work, and each slept in the laboratory for several days, while continuous EEG recordings were made. Although the quantity and distribution of the EEG sleep stages was not greatly different from that found in night sleep periods, there were some irregularities in the progression of EEG patterns, particularly interruptions in Stage REM sleep. It appeared that Ss slept better, worked better, and felt better after several weeks of assignment to night shift work.