The effects of ventilation and temperature on sleep quality and next-day work performance: pilot measurements in a climate chamber

Abstract

Ten healthy young adults slept one by one in a specially designed and constructed sleep capsule located in a climate chamber at two temperatures (24 °C and 28 °C) and two ventilation rates that ensured that the resulting CO2 concentrations were 800 and 1700 ppm. Subjectively rated sleep quality was reduced at 28 °C and reduced ventilation, while sleep onset latency was longer under these conditions. Sleep efficiency was lower at 28 °C. Subjectively rated fatigue and sleepiness decreased after sleeping under all conditions but less so after sleeping at 28 °C. The subjects indicated that their work performance improved after sleeping at 24 °C but not when ventilation was reduced and the temperature increased. Both objectively measured and subjectively rated work performance was worse after sleeping in the condition with increased temperature. The subjects felt warmer at 28 °C although the thermal environment was still rated as acceptable but the air in the capsule was rated stuffier, the acceptability of the air quality decreased and the rated odour intensity increased at this condition. The wrist skin temperature was always higher at 28 °C with reduced ventilation but only during the sleep onset latency period. The subjects felt slightly warm and rated the air stuffier when ventilation was reduced. The present results, albeit from a small exploratory pilot study, show that increased temperature and reduced ventilation both have negative effects on sleep quality, which may have consequences for next-day work performance. These pilot experiment results require validation due to the low number of subjects.