Thoughts and opinions (simple) on numbered responses. Please number and separate to not cause confusion.

1. According to the handouts below the pattern seems to be that the larger the animal the less sleep it requires to be healthy. Babies need alot of sleep to support their rapid development. However, according to the CDC (2022), babies under a year need 12 to 17 hours of sleep while children five and younger need 10 to 14 hours of sleep. However, once a teenager hits the age of eighteen 7 to 9 hours are what is recommended for the rest of a lifespan. My first takeaway was that the animals at the top of this list that sleep the most, seem to be nocturnal species. My second takeaway was how little sleep the elder human gets. In my experience, my grandparents seem to sleep alot. However, I think their quality of sleep isn't the best. I was surprised to see that they needed 5.5 hours of sleep. My last takeaway from this information was certain animals that I found similar sleep different amounts of hours. For example, to tiger sleeps 65.8 percent of the day but the lion only sleeps 56.3 percent. That's an almost ten percent difference in animals that I would have perceived as very similar.

Center for Disease Control. (2022, September 14). How Much Sleep Do I Need? CDC. Retrieved October 5, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html

2. Working third-shift has different effects on individuals, but ultimately is in contrast to normal circadian rhythm. Homeostatic sleep pressure and circadian rhythm are two systems that help regulate normal sleep behaviors under normal circumstances. Normal changes in blood pressure, body temperatures, and hormonal release normally regulate sleep. As these changes are occurring sleep pressure rises throughout the day (Wickmire et al., 2017). The circadian alerting signal also rises to facilitate wakefulness and after the onset of sleep, as homeostatic sleep pressure decreases and the circadian alerting signal subsides (Wickmire et al., 2017). Third-shift workers struggle with wakefulness in the night and remaining asleep during the daytime.

To combat the effects of working agains these natural systems one can use blackout sleep masks to help reduce light. Blackout curtains will help as well to block out ambient light as well. Use of white, green, or brown noise machines can also help to maximize relaxation. These machines emit sounds similar to what are in are backgrounds all the time. We train our brain to ignore them, thereby increasing their presence in our mind helps to induce relaxation. Reduction of fluids and gastric irritants will also reduce indigestion, which may disrupt sleep or cause urination.

Wickmire et al. (2017) suggest that disturbances related to working third-shift can be best addressed by incorporating partners or roommates into sleep habits. Addressing needs for a quieter, low stimulus environment on work days would alleviate some factors that contribute to sleep disturbances. They also suggest that third-shift work keep a stringent sleep schedule whether working or not. "A critical first step in any treatment approach is that patients should practice good sleep hygiene, including avoiding alcohol and caffeine close to bedtime. Because shift workers often sleep during the day, it is essential to ensure a bedroom environment that is conducive to sleep. The sleeping environment should be cool, dark, quiet, and uncluttered" (Wickmire et al., 2017, para. 27).

Reference

Wickwire, E. M., Geiger-Brown, J., Scharf, S. M., & Drake, C. L. (2017). Shift Work and Shift Work Sleep Disorder: Clinical and Organizational Perspectives.Chest,151(5), 1156- 1172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2016.12.007