Research

With steeply increasing demands on our workforces, and the rise in non-standard work hours, there is increasing need to support workers, particularly shift workers, to optimise their sleep health to avoid the considerable adverse impacts on health, safety and productivity. With unique expertise in the distinct challenges experienced by shift workers across many sectors, the Sletten Laboratory is championing interventions for these essential workers, who form the backbone of our society.

Our research and intervention program directly translates scientific sleep and circadian principles to practical sleep health interventions for employees in occupational settings, and evaluates the impact. We target improvements in the health and wellbeing of the almost one-fifth of workers who participate in shift work. Our collaborative approach to research and engagement includes industry, regulators, unions and end users, and is delivering co-designed, industry-relevant, and evidence-based practice and policy change to work to improve in the lives of shift workers at scale.

Please see our publications page here for the range of scientific publications from our research.

Read more about some of our current research projects below.

If you’re a shift worker who would like to be considered for future research, please contact us at: base.slettenlab@monash.edu

Current and recent projects

Project SWITCH

In shift workers, misalignment of the internal circadian pacemaker from the timing of sleep-wake behaviour leads to sleep disruption, impaired alertness and adverse health.

This project is providing personalised sleep and light recommendations to improve sleep and wellbeing in shift workers. Recommendations are tailored to worker’s individual circadian clock. The research is also helping to understand the barriers to shift workers being able to follow evidence-based recommendations for improved sleep-related behaviours.

Are you shift worker who would like to participate?

Find out more information and express your interest here:

bit.ly/shiftworkmonash

Questions via email: base.switch@monash.edu

SleepSync

We are conducting a range of studies improving and implementing a digital sleep health management tool for shift workers known as SleepSync.

SleepSync is digitally delivering tailored, scientifically-proven sleep, alertness and lifestyle management programs for shift workers and their organisations.

Explore the app and see the scientific evidence here:

www.sleepsync.com.au

DREAMS Project

Diverse Representations of Equity and Access in Mental Health and Sleep.

This research aims to investigate how culturally and linguistically diverse adults living in Australia experience sleep and mental health, in the context of their social identity and experiences. This will document narratives of wellbeing amongst consistently underrepresented populations.

Learn more about this study and participate at:

https://tinyurl.com/DREAMSstudy

Sleep and fatigue in the construction industry

We are seeking Australian construction and infrastructure industry workers to participate in a 5-minute online survey about sleep and fatigue.

http://tinyurl.com/SleepInConstruction