Research sheds new light on shift- worker drowsiness

A new research project is hoping to 'light up the night' for shift workers and evaluate the efficacy of a novel light intervention for sleepiness.

The collaborative research project between Monash University, the Woolcock Institute for Medical Research and the University of South Australia is testing the idea that certain types of light can provide an alerting stimulus that will assist to keep shift workers alert and safe.

The primary investigator is Associate Professor Shantha Rajaratnam, an internationally renowned sleep expert and the leader of the Sleep and Chronobiology Research Group at Monash University.

Associate Professor Rajaratnam said with 1.4 million Australians reporting they usually worked non-standard hours and 64 per cent of employees reporting working some of their weekly hours between 7pm and 7am according to the 2006 census, the research is essential in gaining a greater understanding of how negative health consequences related to shiftwork could be reduced.

"Night work requires an individual to work when the body is programmed for sleep and to sleep when the body is programmed to be awake. Conflict between the sleep/wake cycle and the internal body clock creates a mismatch between the internal body clock and the sleep/wake cycle, which can negatively impact upon the sleep, social life and overall health of the shift worker." Associate Professor Rajaratnam said.

"Excessive sleepiness is now considered a major cause of accidents in shift working industries. Shift workers often report excessive sleepiness and performance deficits during night shift, resulting in reduced productivity. Compared to day shift, working night shift is associated with increased risk of injuries, errors and motor vehicle crashes,"