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Education is a frequently recommended remedy for driver sleepiness in occupational settings, although not many studies have examined its usefulness. To date, there are no previous on-road randomized controlled trials investigating the benefits of training on sleepiness among employees working in road transport. To examine the effects of an educational intervention on long-haul truck drivers' sleepiness at the wheel, amount of sleep between work shifts, and use of efficient sleepiness countermeasures (SCM) in association with night and non-night shift, a total of 53 truck drivers operating from southern Finland were allocated into an intervention and a control group using a stratified randomization method (allocation ratio for intervention and control groups 32:21, respectively). The intervention group received a 3.5-hour alertness management training followed by a two-month consultation period and motivational self-evaluation tasks two and 4-5 months after the training, while the control group had an opportunity to utilize their usual statutory occupational health care services. The outcomes were measured under drivers' natural working and shift conditions over a period of two weeks before and after the intervention using unobtrusive data-collection methods including the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale measuring on-duty sleepiness, a combination of actigraphy and a sleep-log measuring sleep between duty hours, and self-report questionnaire items measuring the use of SCMs while on duty. The data analysis followed a per-protocol analysis. Results of the multilevel regression models showed no significant intervention-related improvements in driver sleepiness, prior sleep, or use of SCMs while working on night and early morning shifts compared to day and/or evening shifts. The current study failed to provide support for a feasible non-recurrent alertness-management training being effective remedy for driver sleepiness in occupational settings. These results cannot, however, be interpreted as evidence against alertness management training in general but propose that driver education is not a sufficient measure as such to alleviate driver sleepiness.

Tutkielman tarkoituksena oli selvittää fyysisen aktiivisuuden yhteyttä unen kestoon ja unen laadun mittareihin 5.-, 7.- ja 9.-luokkalaisilla. Unen laadun mittareita olivat koettu aamuväsymys, nukkumisvaikeudet ja unilääkkeiden käyttö. Nukkumisvaikeudet koostuivat heräilyistä öisin ja vaikeuksista päästä uneen. Tarkastelimme nukkumistottumusten eroja vähän, kohtalaisesti ja paljon liikkuvien oppilaiden ryhmissä. Tuloksia tarkasteltiin luokka-asteittain ja sukupuolten välillä. Käytimme WHO-koululaistutkimuksen aineistoa, joka oli kerätty vuonna 2014 kyselylomakkeella kouluista. Otos koostui 5925 suomalaisesta lapsesta ja nuoresta. Analyysimenetelmänä käytettiin yksisuuntaista varianssianalyysiä ja ristiintaulukointia. Tulosten mukaan fyysinen aktiivisuus ei ollut tilastollisesti merkitsevästi yhteydessä unen kestoon, mutta yhteyksiä kaikkiin unen laadun mittareihin löytyi. Vähän liikkuvat yhdeksäsluokkalaiset pojat olivat tilastollisesti erittäin merkitsevästi aamuväsyneempiä kuin paljon liikkuvat yhdeksäsluokkalaiset pojat. Viidesluokkalaisten poikien ja yhdeksäsluokkalaisten tyttöjen ryhmissä vähän liikkuvat oppilaat kokivat nukkumisvaikeuksia enemmän kuin paljon liikkuvat oppilaat. Yhdeksännen luokan tytöillä fyysinen aktiivisuus oli yhteydessä vähäisempään unilääkkeiden käyttöön. Kaiken kaikkiaan löydetyt yhteydet unen laatuun olivat heikkoja. Luokkataso ja sukupuoli selittivät unessa ja fyysisessä aktiivisuudessa tapahtuneita muutoksia. Tulokset ovat linjassa aiempien tutkimusten kanssa. Aiempien tutkimusten mukaan fyysinen aktiivisuus on positiivisesti yhteydessä unen kestoon ja unen laatuun, mutta yhteydet ovat melko vähäisiä. Nuorten nukkumis- ja liikkumistottumukset muuttuvat voimakkaasti murrosiän aikana. Tulosten mukaan liikunta voi edistää nuoren unen laatua. Physical activity and its connections to sleep duration and quality among Finnish children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine physical activity and its connections to sleep duration and sleep quality among 5th, 7th and 9th grade students. Sleep quality was measured by morning tiredness, sleep difficulties and the use of sleep medicine. Sleep difficulties consisted of nighttime waking and difficulties falling asleep. The results were compared between students with little, moderate and high physical activity. In addition, the results were examined separately in groups of age and gender. The data was collected from Finnish schools in HBSC 2014 -research project. The sample consisted of 5925 students. Cross-tabulations and one-way analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. According to the results physical activity was not statistically significantly connected to sleep duration but it was connected to sleep quality. Ninth grade boys with little physical activity felt extremely significantly more tired in the morning than 9 th grade boys with high physical activity. Among fifth grade boys and ninth grade girls, students with little physical activity experienced more sleep difficulties than students with high physical activity. Physical activity was connected to less sleep medicine use among 9 th grade girls. Overall physical activity’s connections to sleep quality were weak. Age and gender were important factors in explaining the changes in sleep and exercise habits. The results are in line with previous research. Earlier studies have shown that physical activity has positive but weak connections to sleep duration and sleep quality. Sleep and exercise habits alter greatly throughout childhood and puberty. According to this study physical activity may enhance sleep quality during that time.