My PhD research focuses on the use of individual countermeasures to sleepiness, predominately in shift working bus drivers. I am interested in understanding how people manage sleepiness, that is, what they choose to use or do to reduce feelings of sleepiness, and how this is impacted by their circumstance, for example their place of work. I have used both qualitative and quantitative research methods to explore this.
Driver sleepiness is an important and relevant issue within the field of sleep research. I think it is important that people know what to do when they are sleepy, and what strategies may reduce sleepiness, particularly during safety critical situations such as driving. It is possible that people may choose to use countermeasures that are ineffective at reducing sleepiness, either because they are unaware of the effectiveness of a strategy, or they are restricted in some way. If so, this is especially concerning within public transport drivers who may regularly experience disrupted and shortened sleep due to shift work. A reliance on these measures, especially within safety critical occupations, could potentially have serious consequences. Therefore, it is important to understand what individuals are doing if they feel sleepy, and why they are using certain strategies, to potentially implement interventions, such as education, to improve safety.