| Summary: | The unique challenges of Arctic maritime operations, encompassing environmental difficulties and operational complexities, necessitate comprehensive analysis due to a notable gap in existing literature regarding their influence on sleep efficiency. This thesis focused on an observational study of 53 study participants aboard the United States Coast Guard Cutter Healy during a 36-day ice breaking deployment to the Arctic region. Data collection included study participant questionnaires, sleep monitoring via the ŌURA ring wearable device, vessel logbooks, and habitability sensor recordings to assess the effects of foghorn activation on sleep efficiency and participants' evaluation of habitability conditions. Our results indicate statistically significant differences in sleep efficiency during varying periods of foghorn use (p = 0.002). There were no statistical differences found to show sleep efficiency varied based on berthing deck (p = 0.741). However, the model trend suggests a decrease in predicted sleep efficiency for participants sleeping on berthing deck four. Habitability questionnaire responses revealed no statistically significant differences between the three questionnaires concerning cold (p = 0.158), heat (p = 0.913), external noise (p = 0.796), or ship motion (p = 0.344) in the rack. The findings presented in this thesis enhance our comprehension of how Arctic maritime operations affect sleep efficiency and habitability conditions. Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited. Lieutenant Colonel, United States Marine Corps
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