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COVID-19-lockdown delayed sleep timing in Tyrolean teachers
Christian Vollmer1, Konrad S Jankowski2
1Department of Research and Development in Teacher Education, University College of Teacher Education Tyrol, Innsbruck, Austria.
Chronobiology International
|November 2, 2022
Summary
Teachers experienced improved sleep during the COVID-19 lockdown due to flexible work hours. This suggests that delayed school start times could benefit educators by aligning their sleep with biological needs.
Area of Science:
- Sleep science
- Educational research
- Public health
Background:
- Delayed school start times are known to benefit students' sleep.
- The impact on teachers' sleep patterns remains largely unexplored.
- The COVID-19 lockdown provided a unique natural experiment for studying teacher sleep.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of a forced home office on Tyrolean teachers' sleep during the COVID-19 lockdown.
- To compare sleep patterns before and during the lockdown period.
- To assess the benefits of flexible working hours on teacher sleep quality and social jetlag.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 2,314 Tyrolean teachers from April to May 2020.
- Data collected included retrospective and during-lockdown bedtimes and wake times on workdays and weekends.
- Calculated variables included time in bed, social jetlag, and sleep loss.
Main Results:
- Teachers reported significantly later bedtimes and rise times during the lockdown compared to before.
- Sleep duration on workdays increased, while workday sleep loss and social jetlag decreased.
- These improvements were primarily driven by delayed rise times and were more pronounced in younger teachers.
Conclusions:
- The shift to a home office during lockdown led to a significant delay in teachers' workday sleep schedules.
- Teachers, like adolescent students, benefit from delayed start times that align with their natural sleep-wake cycles.
- Findings support the implementation of delayed school start times for improved teacher well-being and performance.
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