Research topic
Sleep &
Shift Work.
Long shifts, night calls and early starts make sleep one of the hardest health problems in the fire service. Here is what the research shows, a tool to see how schedules shape the time you have to sleep, and where to go next.
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Why it matters
Sleep problems are common, and they matter on and off duty.
A national study screened 6,933 firefighters from 66 U.S. fire departments for common sleep disorders (Barger et al., 2015).
screened positive for at least one sleep disorder.
screened positive for obstructive sleep apnea, the most common one.
adjusted odds ratio for reporting a motor vehicle crash, compared with firefighters who screened negative.
adjusted odds ratio for reporting falling asleep while driving.
Source: Barger LK, et al. Common sleep disorders increase risk of motor vehicle crashes and adverse health outcomes in firefighters. J Clin Sleep Med. 2015;11(3):233-240. doi:10.5664/jcsm.4534. Read our plain-language Research SCAN of this study.
Interactive tool
Shift schedule clock
Pick a schedule to see two weeks of duty time hour by hour, and what it averages out to over a full rotation. It shows when you are on duty and off, not how much you will sleep. Sleep on shift depends on your call volume.
These numbers describe the schedule, not any one person. Overtime, trades, call volume, commute length and family life all change the real picture.
Our research
What our team has found
Dr. Joel Billings studies firefighter sleep and shift schedules with Science to the Station's Dr. Sara Jahnke and Dr. Christopher Haddock. Firefighters wore wrist sleep trackers (actigraphy) and kept sleep diaries across full rotations.
2025 · Schedule change
Moving from 24/48 to 48/96
24 firefighters in a lower call-volume department were tracked before and after switching schedules. Total sleep time, sleep efficiency, time to fall asleep and time awake after falling asleep all improved at 3 months and held at 6 months. Insomnia and depression scores also improved. The authors note more research is needed in busier departments.
Billings JM, Jahnke SA. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025;22(11):1678.
Read the study >2022 · Sleep across the rotation
The night before shift is the shortest
On both schedules, the least sleep came at home the night before starting shift: 5.80 hours on 24/48 and 5.66 hours on 48/96. The second least came the night before the shift ended.
Billings JM, Haddock CK, Jahnke SA. Behav Sleep Med. 2022;21(1):1-12.
Read the study >2024 · Sleepiness
Less sleep, sleepier the next day
Firefighters on 24/48 (22) and 48/96 (20) schedules rated their sleepiness every afternoon. After nights with less sleep, sleepiness the next day went up. The shortest sleep came on nights before commuting.
Billings JM, Jahnke SA, Haddock CK. Saf Sci. 2024;169:106335.
Read the study >2022 · Measuring sleep
A sleep diary built for the fire service
Standard sleep questionnaires don't fit nights split up by calls. A new Emergency Services Sleep Diary matched wrist-tracker sleep times, while a common general questionnaire was the least accurate.
Billings JM. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(1):109-117.
Read the study >S2S resources
Read, print, share
Research SCAN
Common sleep disorders and crash risk
A plain-language summary of the national firefighter sleep disorder study.
Open the SCAN (PDF) >Infographic
Does 1 hour matter?
How shift start times, short sleep and circadian disruption connect to mental health, heart health and more.
Open the infographic (PDF) >Infographic · FDNY Tips from Training
The importance of sleep
Why sleep matters for performance and safety, and what you risk without it.
Open the infographic (PDF) >Breaking Science
4-day retreat for PTSD, sleep and nightmares
A study of a short, intensive treatment for firefighters living with PTSD, insomnia and nightmares.
Read the summary >Trusted outside resources
CDC / NIOSH
Shift work and long work hours
Federal guidance on the health and safety risks of shift work and long hours, and ways to reduce them.
Visit NIOSH >IAFC and U.S. Fire Administration
Effects of sleep deprivation on fire fighters and EMS responders
A 2007 report on sleep deprivation in the fire and EMS services, with recommendations for departments.
Open the report (PDF) >American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Shift work disorder: information for clinicians
A fact sheet from the AASM, CDC and Sleep Research Society. Bring it to your doctor if shift work is affecting your sleep.
Open the fact sheet (PDF) >This page is for education, not medical advice. If you snore loudly, stop breathing in your sleep, or are sleepy on the job or behind the wheel, talk with your doctor.
Get involved
Join the Sleep workgroup
Fire and EMS professionals, sleep and fatigue researchers and circadian scientists working together on practical scheduling guidance, recovery strategies and tools for shift-based departments.