%0 Journal Article
%T Estimating long-haul airline pilots' at-home baseline sleep duration
%J Sleep health
%D 2016
%A Wu, Lora J.
%A Gander, Philippa H.
%A van den Berg, Margo J.
%A Signal, T. Leigh
%V 2
%N 2
%P 143-145
%X OBJECTIVE Characterize the baseline sleep of long-haul airline pilots.  Methods Sleep of 332 pilots (median age = 51 years, range = 23-64 years) from 4 airlines was measured by actigraphy while at home and off-duty and by retrospective estimate of the total amount of nighttime sleep usually obtained at home.  Results Mean actigraphic sleep per 24 hours during baseline periods was 6.8 hours (SD = 1.0 hour), 52 minutes shorter than mean self-reported usual nighttime sleep (7.6 hours, SD = 1.1 hours).  Conclusions Pilots' self-reported sleep duration was comparable to weekend sleep of men in general population samples, but their actigraphic baseline sleep was longer than objectively monitored sleep of other samples. Long-haul pilots routinely experience sleep restriction and circadian disruption across trips, both of which are implicated in increased health risks. We recommend that they be educated about the long-term importance for health of obtaining adequate sleep on off-duty days.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Elsevier Publishing
%@ 2352-7218
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2016.02.004