Study on the sleep quality and emotional state of flying personnel

Objective To investigate the sleep quality, emotional state and their relationship for flying personnel so as to provide reference for the targeted aeromedical support. Methods Two hundred and forty-nine flying personnel participated in the anonymous questionnaire surveys, including Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), self-evaluation of anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS), and profile of mood state (POMS). Comparisons of sleep quality among flying personnel, norm and ordinary soldiers were conducted. The correlation between sleep quality and emotional state was analyzed then. Results There were 238 questionnaires returned and the effective rate was 95.6%. The prevalence of sleeping disorders in 238 flying personnel was 36.6%. Their total score of PSQI was (6.79±3.06), which was significantly higher than that of norm and ordinary soldiers (t=14.706, 5.967, P<0.01) and their scores of anxiety and depression were higher than those of the domestic norm (t=4.867, 3.147, P<0.01). In addition, with the total score of PSQI increased the scores on SAS, SDS, tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, anger-hostility, fatigue-inertia and confusion-bewiderment showed upward trend. But the score on vigor-activity was decreased. Correlation analysis showed that the total score of PSQI was positively correlated with the scores on SAS, SDS, tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, anger-hostility, fatigue-inertia and confusion-bewiderment (r=0.549-0.665, P<0.01), and was negatively correlated with vigor-activity (r=-0.417, P<0.01). Conclusions Sleep quality is an important indicator of emotional state. Sleep quality of flying personnel is lower than that of norm and ordinary soldiers and this means the flying personnel are in obviously higher tension and stress state. Key words: Sleep; Emotions; Questionnaires; Military flying personnel