My research considers the impact work hours have upon the health and safety of the employee. One of my main areas of study is the role of circadian rhythms in relation to the effects of shiftworking. I have published several papers looking at how various aspects of shift system design impact upon sleep, alertness on-shift and well-being. I also research other non-circadian aspects of work scheduling, such as the timing and distribution of rest breaks, long work hours, innovative work schedules (i.e. time banks) and the impact of freetime activities on recovery from work.
My research involves a range of methodological approaches, such large scale questionnaire surveys, epidemiological analysis of accident data, field studies of using both objective and subjective measures of sleep, stress and cognitive performance. Most recently, my research has focused on shiftwork in relation to a number of topics including aging; diet and the development of metabolic syndrome; doctors’ working time arrangements; work time control.