[Are sleep difficulties in night work a problem for the offshore industry?].
BACKGROUND
Shift work is increasingly used in industry and services; in the Norwegian offshore industry approximately 6750 employees work night shifts. We wanted to look into the implications of night shifts on sleep and circadian rhythm, with particularly focus on the offshore sector.


METHODS
We conducted literature searches on Medline, covering the period from 1966 to 2003; only eight studies pertaining to the offshore activity in the North Sea with emphasis on sleep and night work were identified.


RESULTS
Night shifts on oil platforms were associated with sleeping difficulties. The isolated setting on the installations in the North Sea probably facilitates biological adaptation to night work compared to work onshore. Light therapy has a documented effect for re-adaptation to normal daytime functioning upon returning home.


CONCLUSIONS
Night work disturbs sleep. The level of functioning during the first night shifts is probably lower than the optimal level of functioning. Only a few studies of adaptation to night work in the offshore industry have been conducted and little research has been done concerning swing shifts in the North Sea. The field is obviously in need of more empirically based knowledge.
Pallesen
Ståle
S
Institutt for samfunnspsykologi, Universitetet i Bergen, 5015 Bergen. staale.pallesen@psysp.uib.no
Holsten
Fred
F
Bjørkum
Alvhild Alette
AA
Bjorvatn
Bjørn
B
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D006801:Humans; D009659:North Sea; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010578:Petroleum; D020178:Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology
D010578:Petroleum