THE EFFECTS OF NAPPING ON NIGHT SHIFT PERFORMANCE

This study examines how napping affects the performance of night shift air traffic controllers. The performance, mood, sleep quality and sleepiness as a function of napping and time on task during a midnight shift were studied. Sixty air traffic controllers were randomly assigned to a midnight shift napping condition: a long nap of 2 hours, a short nap of 45 minutes or no nap. The subjects worked 3 early morning shifts and rapidly rotated to the midnight shift. During the midnight shift, three test sessions (1 before, 2 after the nap) involving two computer-based tasks were completed. The tasks were the air traffic scenarios test (ATST) and the Bakan vigilance test. In the Bakan test, the long nap was found to be superior, but both nap conditions resulted in better performance. The ATST was found to be less sensitive to differences in napping and to the natural circadian trough. Implications are discussed.