Sleep Cycles and Wake Times

[GAHD]

for me sleep depends entirely on the time of day I fall asleep. If I fall asleep during the day time I'll sleep 3-6 hours and wake naturally(usually just after noon), where if it's in the evening or night the time it takes to wake moves closer to 9-10 hours(next morning).

 

I've also had a mixed up ~36 hour natural rhythm I fall into whenever I'm not held to a schedule; 24-26 hours awake, 10-12 asleep. I find I am at my peak when in that rhythm, but fat chance getting it accepted.

 

Needless to say; I use an alarm clock and lots of coffee to function.

[Tormod]

My sleep cycle is a roller coaster ride. But lately it's basically "tired for 23 hours" and "dazed and confused" for 2. :smilingsun:

[freeztar]

My sleep cycle is a roller coaster ride. But lately it's basically "tired for 23 hours" and "dazed and confused" for 2. :eek2:

 

I knew days were longer up there, but wow! :esmoking:

 

I think circadian rhythm is vastly overrated. It seems that most people that stress the importance of circadian rhythm are people that get 8 hours of sleep a day and have a regular schedule.

[LaurieAG]

I think circadian rhythm is vastly overrated. It seems that most people that stress the importance of circadian rhythm are people that get 8 hours of sleep a day and have a regular schedule.

 

I don't know Freeztar,

 

I've found that you can have a wake up time varying between midnight and 6am over a weekly cycle without getting too out of whack as long as you get your 8 hours sleep.

 

Over in Western Australia they have a couple of thousand people with sleeping problems because they work a 24 hour rotating shift. They work 8 hours then take 24 hours off in a continuous cycle.

 

If you don't have regular days off you can also lose track of which day of the week it is.

[freeztar]

I don't know Freeztar,

 

I've found that you can have a wake up time varying between midnight and 6am over a weekly cycle without getting too out of whack as long as you get your 8 hours sleep.

 

Perhaps, but not too many people wake up between midnight and 6 AM. (at least not in the states)

Over in Western Australia they have a couple of thousand people with sleeping problems because they work a 24 hour rotating shift. They work 8 hours then take 24 hours off in a continuous cycle.

 

If you don't have regular days off you can also lose track of which day of the week it is.

 

Sleeping problems are not limited to Australia or shifts. I know people that have regular work schedules, but still have sleeping problems. I'm one of them in fact.

[LaurieAG]

Perhaps, but not too many people wake up between midnight and 6 AM. (at least not in the states)

 

Hi Freeztar,

 

What about 24 hour operators? Do they just stay awake permanently:)

 

Sleeping problems are not limited to Australia or shifts. I know people that have regular work schedules, but still have sleeping problems. I'm one of them in fact.

 

Have you removed your TV, mobile phone and computer from your bedroom? I read a newspaper article lately about school student sleeping problems. The researchers found that between 10 pm and midnight was one of the peak teenage socialising times, for emails, phone calls and texts.

 

BTW, my father has sleep apnea.

 

Sleep apnea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[modest]

I've had a host of parasomnias my whole life. :)

[freeztar]

Hi Freeztar,

 

What about 24 hour operators? Do they just stay awake permanently:)

I'm not sure what you mean by 24 hour operators. My friend is a fire fighter and he works 24 hour shifts, but he is able to sleep when he is not on a call. He's never mentioned having sleeping difficulties outside of his work schedule. :)

Have you removed your TV, mobile phone and computer from your bedroom? I read a newspaper article lately about school student sleeping problems. The researchers found that between 10 pm and midnight was one of the peak teenage socialising times, for emails, phone calls and texts.

None of those things are in my room.

[Michaelangelica]

There has been some recent noise about this in Oz recently.

It seems some people are just not constitutionally/biochemically suited to shift work.

 

Around 20 percent of us work shifts — that's more than a million Australians. Some people seem to cope, but for others, working shifts should carry a health warning.

 

Our reporter Andrew Rochford is a shift worker in Accident and Emergency at Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital.

. . .

"Biologically we're designed to be diurnal animals, we're designed to be awake and running around during the day and be asleep at night. And functioning at night is limited — we can't perform at the same level as we can during the daytime."

 

Unfortunately, not a lot of us can change our jobs, so here are some strategies for coping with shift work:

 

* Car pool with your mates. Studies have shown you'll keep each other awake and increase your chances of getting home safely.

* Keep a sleep routine — it doesn't matter when you sleep, but creating a sleep routine to get that seven hours shut-eye is vital.

 

Jim suggests that shift workers try to create a dark, cool and quiet environment to aid in the amount of sleep and the quality of sleep that you can get.

Does shift work pose a risk to your health?

 

 

What are the health effects of shiftwork?

 

Partial sleep deprivation is the main problem that affects the health of shift workers.

 

Night work disturbs the circadian rhythm in the human body. This is an internal body clock that is synchronised to a 24 hour period. It regulates a number of physiological functions such as body temperature, hormone secretion, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, digestion and mental alertness. It lets us know, among other things, when to sleep and when to eat. Shiftworkers can have health problems because this internal clock is disturbed.

 

Shift workers and extended hour workers suffer from sleep disturbances and the physiological consequences that result from it. The social effects extend to their family and friends.

 

Researchers have found several negative health effects in shiftworkers and workers on extended hours. Some of these are:

 

* increased heart disease

* gastric ulcers and gastro intestinal problems

* social problems and minor psychiatric disorders

* sleep disorders and increased fatigue

* increased error rates and accident rates.

 

Some personal factors can make workers more susceptible to problems when doing shiftwork or extended hours. These include:

 

* a heavy domestic work load

* psychiatric illness

* a history of alcohol or drug abuse

* epilepsy

* diabetes

* heart disease

Workers Health Centre Fact Sheet - Shiftwork & extended hours

 

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HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES

FOR SHIFT WORK AND EXTENDED

WORKING HOURS

ACTU SHIFT WORK GUIDELINES