Adaptation to shift work--experimental approaches with reduced masking effects.

Chronobiological characteristics of night and shift work, features of the adaptive process to be expected are briefly considered in the first part of the paper. Demands for experimental routines to imitate these situations and the need for routines reducing masking effects are discussed. Experiments meeting these demands are reviewed. Practical considerations are derived. Interindividual differences of the circadian system are taken into account.