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Sleep Disturbance in Female Flight Attendants and Teachers
Barbara Grajewski1, Elizabeth A Whelan, Mimi M Nguyen
1National Insitute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance
|August 10, 2016
Summary
Flight attendants (FAs) experience more sleep disturbances than teachers, indicating potential circadian disruption. This occupational hazard affects sleep quality and timing for FAs.
Area of Science:
- Occupational health
- Sleep medicine
- Circadian rhythm research
Background:
- Flight attendants (FAs) frequently travel across time zones, potentially disrupting their sleep-wake cycles.
- Circadian disruption is a known risk factor for various health issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if flight attendants (FAs) have a higher risk of sleep disturbance compared to teachers.
- To compare sleep patterns between FAs and teachers using objective and subjective measures.
Main Methods:
- Sleep/wake cycles of 45 FAs and 25 teachers were monitored for one menstrual cycle.
- Objective data from activity monitors and subjective data from daily diaries were collected.
- Sleep metrics analyzed included total sleep, sleep efficiency, and nocturnal sleep fraction.
Main Results:
- While FAs slept longer, they exhibited significantly poorer sleep efficiency (OR=1.9) and a lower proportion of sleep during optimal nocturnal hours (OR=3.1).
- Activity monitor data indicated greater sleep disturbance in FAs compared to teachers.
- Diary data corroborated findings of altered sleep patterns.
Conclusions:
- Flight attendants experience increased sleep disturbance compared to teachers.
- This suggests that FAs may be at higher risk for circadian disruption due to their occupation.
- Further research into mitigating sleep disturbances for FAs is warranted.
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