SLEEP IN A TRUCK BERTH

The aim of the present pilot study was to study the effects of sleep i n a truck berth. Experiment A included eight subjects who slept during two conditions (laboratory and in a truck berth during quiet conditio ns). Experiment B included two conditions (truck-berth sleep during qu iet and noisy/disturbed conditions, respectively); six subjects partic ipated. Polysomnography was recorded and ratings of sleep quality and postsleep sleepiness were made. During the truck-berth conditions, noi se was continuously recorded. When two-tailed t tests were used, the r esults showed no significant effects (alpha level = 0.05) for any of t he experiments. However, when one-tailed tests were used, experiment A showed a longer rapid eye movement (REM) latency for the truck-berth condition. Experiment B showed less-refreshing sleep for the disturbed condition (one-tailed test). The noise level was significantly higher during the disturbed condition. The results showed that electroenceph alograph (EEG)-recorded sleep was not affected by sleeping in a truck, even when the truck was parked at a noisy location (truck terminal). However, considering some limitations of the experiments, for example small sample size, lack of adaptation night, etc., the present results should be interpreted with some caution and need to be replicated.