Napping and Human Functioning during Prolonged Work

Abstract

In prolonged work periods, men and women often forego satisfying their sleep need to complete their assigned jobs, resulting in an accumulation of performance/mood degrading sleep loss and fatigue. Sleep need can be satisfied only by a slow process of sleeping for an average of 7 to 8 consecutive hours per 24 hour period, i.e., a long period of 'time-out.' However, sleep management suggests that recovery from fatigue and sleepiness during a prolonged work period can be accomplished by short or ultra-short sleep (naps) taken during a prolonged work period. Naps are shown not only to refresh and restore human functioning, but also to maintain performance and mood during a prolonged work period. In this paper, naps' power as a counter-degradation measure are described first through the literature review, and then through critical evaluation of studies conducted at the Defense and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine, Canada and the Naval Health Research Center.

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