How the large-scale blackout following the 2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi earthquake impacted adolescents’ sleep patterns

Abstract

A blackout on the island of Hokkaido occurred following a massive earthquake on September 6, 2018. This study analyzed the sleep pattern data of junior high school students on the night of the blackout in comparison to a normal night. Data were collected from 52 junior high school students from a school away from the earthquake’s epicenter but within the blackout area. Although the students normally slept less than 8 h per night, they slept for nine and a half hours during the blackout night. The duration during the blackout corresponded to the ideal sleep duration recommended by the NSF and AASM.