A study to examine the thermal environment on sleep and subjective sensations in shelter-analogue settings in winter

Abstract

This study was aimed to investigate sleep in evacuation shelter-analogue settings in winter using blankets for disaster relief and ordinary futon. Subject experiment was conducted to examine the sleep variables using actigraphy and environmental conditions in winter gymnasium. The subjects completed questionnaires regarding their thermal sensation, comfort sensation, fatigue, and subjective sleepiness before and after the sleep. The subjects felt more coldness on their head and peripheral parts of the body using the emergency blankets than the futon during the sleep. Moreover, fatigue was felt more on the lower back and lower extremities from using emergency blankets than the futon after sleep.