Shift Work - Sleepiness and Sleep in Transport

Driving a vehicle during a night shift increases the accident risk and incidents of falling asleep at the wheel. Individuals having worked a night shift (in any type of occupation) run a similar risk when commuting home from a night shift. Early starts of driving may increase risk. Detailed field studies of sleepiness indicate high levels of sleepiness during late night driving. The mechanism includes exposure to the circadian trough of alertness during work and sleep loss. High levels of sleepiness and sleep loss associated with night and early morning work define the diagnosis of shift work disorder.