Inversion of Sleep-Wake Cycles as a Potential Strategy for Mitigating Heat-Related Risks in Military Training / Segev Sharon, Itay Ketko, Prof. Daniel Moran, David Erez

Background: Body heat dissipation effectiveness during rigorous physical exercise depends on ambient temperature and relative humidity. Inability to cool the body results in body-core temperature, leading to heat-related injuries. Global temperatures are expected to rise in the foreseeable future, potentially increasing the number of heat-related illnesses. Combat soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces often perform rigorous activities in hot environments, making them particularly vulnerable to heat-related injuries. A potential strategy for mitigating heat-related injuries is re-scheduling physical training during the summer. Proposal: We propose inverting the sleep-wake cycle during basic training of combat soldiers to reduce the risk of heat-related injuries. While the health effects of inverting sleep-wake cycles are well-documented in civilian cohorts, there is a lack of research investigating the prolonged efficacy of sleep inversion in combat soldiers.We also propose evaluating the effect of inverting the sleep cycle on non-heat related injuries, hormonal profiles, mental well-being, and cognitive and physical performance. Furthermore, we propose that this research be performed using mixed gender units to account for gender-based response differences.