Interindividual differences in circadian fatigue patterns of shift workers
Open Access
- 1 October 1973
- journal article
- research article
- Published by BMJ in Occupational and Environmental Medicine
- Vol. 30 (4), 341-351
- https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.30.4.341
Abstract
Östberg, O. (1973).British Journal of Industrial Medicine,30, 341-351. Interindividual differences in circadian fatigue patterns of shift workers. Data from 37 computer operators and output-handlers, working on discontinuous 8-16-24 alternating shifts, were collected in the morning, evening, and night shifts during a one-year period. The study was directed to the interindividual differences in the workers' circadian patterns of activity, sleep, oral temperature, time estimation, physical fitness, and food intake. By means of a questionnaire on preferences and habits of activity and time of day, three subgroups of five subjects each were selected—`morning', `middle', and `evening' groups. Significant differences were found between the groups and between the shifts. Most interesting was the significant interaction of group × shift, on the basis of which it could be concluded that the `morning' type of subjects had the most pronounced difficulty in adapting to the shift system practised. It is thought that a refinement of the questionnaire used should eventually result in a tool for assessing a person's circadian type and the interaction of type × shift.Keywords
This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
- Circadian Rhythms of Food Intake and Oral Temperature in ‘Morning’ and ‘ Evening’ Groups of IndividualsErgonomics, 1973
- The Diurnal Rhythm of Adrenaline Secretion in Subjects with Different Working HabitsActa Physiologica Scandinavica, 1971
- THE INFLUENCE OF AGE AND TEMPERAMENT ON THE ADULT HUMAN SLEEP—WAKEFULNESS PATTERNBritish Journal of Psychology, 1969
- Sleep and wakefulness in a group of shift workersOccupational and Environmental Medicine, 1969
- Sleep and wakefulness in normal human adults.BMJ, 1968
- Stable hours and varied work as aids to efficiencyPsychonomic Science, 1968
- [On the daily operation of physical work capacity].1968
- Effects of temperature and time of day on time judgments.Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1968
- Time of day effects on performance in a range of tasksPsychonomic Science, 1967
- Diurnal Variability in Time EstimationPerceptual and Motor Skills, 1962