Sleep in the M-40 Mask: Sleep Quality, Mask Fit Factor and Next Day Performance

Abstract

This study was designed to determine whether nighttime sleep is substantially disrupted when soldiers wear the M-40 chemical protective mask. Nine male volunteers participated. on four test nights they wore the mask while On four control nights they slept without it. During each test night the duration and fragmentation of sleep were assessed using a wrist-worn activity- monitor. Total sleep time significantly declined and number and length of awakenings increased when soldiers wore the mask. There were considerable individual differences in ability to sleep while wearing the M-40 mask. Some soldiers had comparatively little difficulty sleeping in the mask while others were extremely restless throughout the night. Subjective sleep quality as measured by self-report questionnaires was also significantly degraded by the mask. Mask fit-integrity during sleep was continuously assessed using the Portacount(TM) mask fit-validation device. There was considerable variability in the extent of protection provided by the mask over the night.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 13, 1993
Accession Number
ADP008820

Entities

People

  • Barbara . Shukitt-hale
  • Brent Marlowe
  • David Welch
  • Harris R Lieberman
  • Mary Z. Mays

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Cognition
  • Computer Simulations
  • Computers
  • Condensation Nuclei
  • Fragmentation
  • Human Factors Engineering
  • Laptop Computers
  • Masks
  • Measurement
  • Military Operations
  • Military Research
  • Protective Masks
  • Quadrants
  • Questionnaires
  • Reaction Time
  • Test And Evaluation

Readers

  • Circadian Sleep-Wake Regulation and Chronobiology
  • Materials Science