Chronobiology of extreme isolation: sleep, napping, circadian temperature rhythm and alertness during an overwintering mission at Belgrano II Argentine Antarctic station

FOLGUEIRA, A; SIMONELLI, G; PLANO, SA; TORTELLO, CAMILA; CUIULI, JUAN MANUEL; BLANCHARD, A; PATAGUA, A; BRAGER, A; CAPALDI, V; BARBARITO, MARTA; GOLOMBEK, DA; VIGO, D

Scientific Reports

Nature

Año: 2019

2045-2322

During Antarctic isolation personnel are exposed to extreme photoperiods. A frequent observation is a sleep onset phase delay during winter. It is not known if, as a result, daytime sleeping in the form of naps increases. We sought to assess sleep patterns with focus on daytime sleeping, circadian temperature rhythm and alertness in a Latin American crew overwintering in Argentine Antarctic station Belgrano II. Measurements were collected in 13 males during March, May, July, September and November, and included actigraphy, circadian temperature rhythm and a psychomotor vigilance task. Sleep duration significantly decreased during winter. A total of eight participants took at least one weekly nap across all measurement points. During winter, the nap onset was delayed, its duration increased and its efficiency improved. Amplitude and temperature rhythm strength showed maximum values in May and decreased thereafter, with an inverse correlation between variations in temperature rhythm strength and napping duration. We observed a significant effect of seasonality in the association of evening alertness with sleep onset and temperature rhythm amplitude. Our results replicate previous findings regarding sleep and circadian rhythm disruption during overwintering in Antarctica, adding the description of the role of napping and the report of a possible modulatory effect of seasonality in the relation between sleep and alertness. Napping should be considered as an important factor in the scheduling of activities of multicultural crews that participate in Antarctica.