SLEEP PATTERNS AND WELL-BEING OF PERSONNEL IN AN OPERATIONAL USMC SQUADRON

This study investigated the relationship between sleep, mood, and other occupational and demographic factors of servicemembers assigned to an operational squadron. Sixty-nine participants (53 males, 16 females) from VMFA-311 located at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California were enrolled in the study. Data were collected over the course of six months utilizing wearable devices (Oura rings) and questionnaires. The data analyses were hindered by low levels of compliance (inconsistent ring wear and questionnaire responses) and high levels of attrition throughout the data collection period. This could explain why we did not find a statistically significant association between objective major sleep episode duration and mood. Better mood was associated with subjective measures (better sleep quality, and lower levels of fatigue, stress, depression, and anxiety). The median major sleep episode duration was 6.9 (interquartile range [IQR] = 1.79) hours over the duration of the study. Twenty-seven participants had major sleep episode durations shorter than seven hours and nine participants had less than six hours. At the three-month mark, four participants slept fewer than seven hours. At the six-month mark, nine participants slept fewer than seven hours. The results of this study suggest that sleep and mood may have an important association in a military environment. Further research is needed with larger sample sizes in a variety of settings.

Department dc:contributor.department

Operations Research (OR)

Grantor dc:publisher

Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Ramos, Anthony J.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• McClernon, Christopher K.

Statement dc:rights

• This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10945/73209

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:calhoun.nps.edu:10945/73209