Effects of a simulated maritime shift schedule on vigilance, sleep, and sleepiness

Fifteen participants exposed to a frequent shift schedule experienced impaired reaction speed and increased errors in vigilance tasks.

• Vigilance performance deteriorated over consecutive watch days, suggesting accumulated effects of shift work.
• Circadian phase influenced performance, with afternoon shifts associated with better outcomes.
• Increased working hours correlated with poorer performance on psychomotor vigilance tasks.
• Total sleep duration slightly decreased while wake after sleep onset increased as shifts progressed.
• Sleep duration was generally longer during the biological night compared to daytime sleep.
• Subjective sleepiness scores showed a negative correlation with vigilance task performance.

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