Acutely shifting the sleep-wake cycle: nighttime sleepiness after diurnal administration of temazepam or placebo.
OBJECTIVE
Sleepiness on the job is a common problem suffered by people involved in night shift work, especially in conditions of abrupt reversal of the sleep-wake cycle, such as emergencies and combat air operations. It is well known that sleepiness can severely affect alertness and performance. One of the most useful countermeasures is to take a prophylactic nap before working at irregular hours. To induce and maintain sleep in the "forbidden zones for sleep" during the day, it is possible to use suitable benzodiazepine hypnotics such as temazepam (TMZ). However, it is then necessary to monitor sleepiness and performance the night following the diurnal intake of the drug in order to evaluate possible side effects.


METHODS
In this study, sleepiness was subjectively and objectively measured during the night after a daytime administration of TMZ 20 mg in soft gelatine capsules or placebo to obtain a prophylactic sleep.


CONCLUSIONS
Results showed the effectiveness of TMZ for inducing and maintaining diurnal sleep. This lengthening of total sleep time did not cause a decrease of sleepiness during the night, but no significant carry over effect of TMZ was present for nighttime sleep tendency. Both polygraphic and subjective measures of sleep latency decreased during the night. Finally, no significant relationship between the Stanford Sleepiness Scale and the Multiple Sleep Latency Test measures was found.
Porcù
S
S
Italian Air Force, Divisione Aerea Studi Ricerche e Sperimentazioni, Reparto Medicina Aeronautica e Spaziale, Aeroporto Pratica di Mare, Pomezia (Roma), Italy.
Bellatreccia
A
A
Ferrara
M
M
Casagrande
M
M
D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017286:Polysomnography; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013693:Temazepam / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D013693:Temazepam