It appears that on all the shows, the main crew are all awake at the same time. What was protocol for when they were sleeping? I assume this was considered a low activity time. Did a lower rank crew get to be on the bridge and hold things together while they slept?
In some episodes of TOS, VOY, and TNG, we see main crew in the role of "Night Officers" or OOF (Officers of the Watch). Troi, Crusher, Kim and Chekov were all seen as "OOF" at one time or another. I am sure there are more I cannot recall. Welcome to the Board, herofan!
^I believe there were other officers with the rank of commander or lt. commander...perhaps a non-command track Captain (in the sciences or engineering). Some of them may have took over during the other shifts we don't see them.
Very likely, but we all know the "real" reason! They did away with sleep in the 24th Century! ..wait...no, that was money...
Actually, I could very well buy there being a pill for jet lag in the 23rd century already. So our heroes are distributed across three shifts (perhaps denoted by shirt color, even). But whenever there is adventure, the "A Team" is summoned to the bridge, some from their sleep. And the pill allows them to do that and then return to their regular rhythm with few ill effects. Mind you, we basically never get an episode where the adventure would take our heroes completely by surprise. These things begin by our heroes assuming orbit around a planet as scheduled (plenty of time to summon the A Team); an alert already having been sounded because of a recent surprise (ditto); or by a combination of the scheduled and the surprising. Timo Saloniemi
Navy ships have something called a "Sea and Anchor Detail" that is used during entering/exiting port and is typically manned by the more senior watchstanders. Starfleet could have a similar protocol (the System and Orbit Detail (SOD )) that puts the senior staff on the bridge during the approach to to a planetary orbit.
I can imagine that shifts on a Starship wouldn't be all that dissimilar from Hotel shifts given the nature of a 24/7 365 Operation. Shifts to be as fair to everyone as possible go as follows: AM - 7am - 3pm PM - 3pm - 11pm NA - 11pm - 7am That would be around about the general rotation of the Bridge support staff with the Senior staff likely having special hours within that or self directed schedules if you will for major events (approaching a planet etc.)
ENSIGN NOBODY: Sir, Klingon battle cruiser decloaking off starboard! It's charging it's disruptors! LT. NO ONE: Should I call the Captain? LT. NIGHTWATCH: Nah, I got this.
Captain Jellico instituted a four shift rotation during his captaincy on the Enterprise-D. This would be 4 six hour shifts per 24 hour period.
The theme tune would be remarkably similar to Car Wash. In every iteration of Trek, it seems, the captain is lying in bed when s/he receives a call from the bridge. They go to the bridge and find the rest of the cast ready and waiting. Like only the captain is allowed to sleep.
Starfleet officers (mainly guys) not on the job... I'd imagine that all holodecks must have a special semen disposal unit... I was just thinking what I might do if given the opportunity to try one out. Admit it, you might do it too.
All manner of matter (blood, sweat and tears, not to mention skin flakes, loose hair, whatever else) is probably disposed of in the holodeck the same way it's disposed of in the rest of the ship. In fact the holodeck is probably wiped clean after each use. I imagine a quick diagnostic clean (like a car wash, but with air and "sonic" technology), and if it detects any problematic material, it probably goes into a deeper clean with force field generators or even mini-transporter actions. If it isn't all transported out to a special section, then there must be a hidden vent on the floor that it's all pushed towards. Waste extraction is a major department on every starship, and it doesn't just apply to the obvious. I also imagine whole sections of the starship being closed down and cleaned on a regular basis, especially during "night mode" and when not in use. Like the refigerator door, these actions would cease as soon as someone walks into the area, and begin once more as soon as they leave.