Sleep is critically important to the overall health and wellness of Sailors. In 2017, based in part on extensive research from the Naval Postgraduate School’s (NPS) Crew Endurance Team, the Surface Navy mandated the use of circadian-based watch rotations. To monitor the success of such policy changes, researchers are using wearable technologies and self-report questionnaires to collect data on the sleep and mental health of Sailors. One such effort currently underway by the NPS team shows great progress in this area.

For the first time, crew members of three warships assigned to the same Carrier Strike Group are participating in a one- to two-year longitudinal study to examine the sleep habits, health, and wellness both while deployed and in port. Outfitted with nearly 100 Oura rings per crew, the three warships assigned to the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group will deploy to the 5th and 6th Fleet areas, likely participating in combat operations as they relieve the USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group on station. “We have already learned a lot about resilience from the IKESG ships, but having wearable monitors on a large percentage of the crews will take it to the next level” said Dr. John Cordle, Human Factors Engineer for Commander Naval Surface Force Atlantic. “We are excited to participate in this important study,” said Commander Mathew Rechkemmer, Commanding Officer of USS The Sullivans (DDG 68). “Our Sailors lined up to volunteer, exceeding the goal of 75 by leaps and bounds!” In addition to the warships headed out on deployment, the NPS team also enrolled nearly 100 Sailors on USS James E. Williams (DDG 95), currently in a 2-year midlife maintenance availability. “Sleep is critically important to both Sailor well-being and operational readiness, and the shipyard environment can be especially challenging,” said Dr. Chris McClernon, a senior researcher for the study. “This is the first time to collect data on a crew executing import maintenance duties over such a long period of time; we will be able to compare the results to their counterparts executing strike group missions downrange – the results will have a lasting impact.”

“We are serious about this commitment to better sleep,” said Admiral Joe Cahill, the Commander of Naval Surface Forces Atlantic, “This is the future, with the ability for the Commanding Officer to make data-informed decisions about the readiness of their crew in real time.” It is also about personal responsibility, noted Cahill. “This is leadership saying we care about you, and we want to provide tools to improve your personal performance and well-being”. Cahill praised all four crews for the level of participation. “The team made this happen in the space of four months from me asking if it can be done.” Sailors on the four warships will wear Õura rings, receive sleep enhancement kits as part of a separate effort to help Sailors with eye masks, ear plugs, and a Sleep Hygiene card with tips for healthy sleep, and answer periodic questionnaires on their watch and work schedules. In addition to The Sullivans and USS James E. Williams, the USS Stout and USS Jason Dunham and about 30 members of the Destroyer Squadron Twenty Eight staff are also participating in the longitudinal study. This study is part of a much larger longitudinal study funded by the Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO) that is tracking the sleep and mental health of over 1,000 active duty service members. The results will inform future research and policy concerning sleep, fatigue, and mental health.

“The study was designed by Dr. Nita Shattuck, a professor of Operations Research at the Naval Postgraduate School, who has been leading this foundational research for decades. Her work has enabled effective policy changes in crew rest and operations across the Department of the Navy. It was fitting that in this major study involving an entire Carrier Strike Group, the study builds on Dr. Shattuck’s work, adding to her team’s legacy of fleet impact and crew safety,” said Dr. Cordle, “Their work over the years has changed the way the Navy stands watch at sea and is beyond measure.”

This "SURFLANT Ships Participate in Historic Sleep Study" was originally found on https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Term/3087/