The efficacy of sleep education and wrist-activity monitor smartphone apps on improving sleep and performance in shiftworkers.

This study involves participants who undertake shiftwork for a Western Australian mining company. Participants are assigned to one of three intervention groups. Intervention group 1 will attend a 2-hour face to face group sleep education session; intervention group 2 will receive daily feedback on sleep via a wrist-activity monitor mobile app; and intervention group 3 will attend a 2-hour face to face group sleep education session and receive daily feedback on sleep via a wrist-activity monitor mobile app. The sleep education sessions will be delivered onsite by the researcher who has worked in the area of fatigue risk management for the past 7 years and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Health and Safety, a Graduate Certificate in Public Health and a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion. Sleep Education Sessions - Interactive group sessions that include powerpoint presentation, videos, and discussion that address the following: • What fatigue is and the importance of sleep in maintaining good health. • The science of sleep, our biological clock and circadian rhythms. • Common sleep disorders. • Sleep deprivation and the dangers associated with micro-sleeps. • How to recognise the signs of fatigue in yourself and others. • Lifestyle and environmental factors that contribute to good quality and quantity sleep. • Strategies to prepare for shift work. • Strategies to manage fatigue and increase alertness during your shift. Wrist-activity monitors - participants will wear a wrist-activity monitor 24 hrs a day (unless required to remove for safety reasons whilst at work) for the duration of 2 roster cycles (approx 42 days): pre-intervention, 21-days and post-intervention 21-day roster cycle. The intervention group with access to the mobile app will receive daily info on their sleep quality, quantity and performance ie: sleep duration, sleep fragmentation, alertness levels. This intervention group will be required to sync their data daily with the mobile app allowing the researcher to monitor adherence to the intervention through a overall web app. The researcher will send text message reminders if participants aren't syncing their data.