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Sleep and Rest Requirements: Physiological ConsiderationsSleep is a vital physiological need which must be met to insure optimal functioning. A single night of significantly shortened sleep negatively impacts performance, alertness, and mood. Restricted sleep studies have shown that even a relatively small amount of sleep loss over several consecutive days can be additive and result in a cumulative sleep debt with similar detrimental effects. Compounding the problem of sleep loss in the operational environment is the poor correlation between subjective reports of sleepiness and objective measures of physiological sleep need. Some of the factors determining how sleepy an individual is at a given point in time are: (1) individual characteristics (e.g., amount of prior sleep and wakefulness, circadian phase, age), (2) environmental conditions (e.g., noise, temperature, amount of social interaction), and (3) task variables (e.g., signal rate, workload). Although sleep need can be masked with medications, the only way to reduce it is with sleep itself. The timing of the sleep period can affect sleep duration and quality and thus its restorative strength. The data are clear that increasing sleep time results in improved alertness. This paper will briefly review the scientific findings on sleep need, the effects of sleep loss, napping strategies, and the implications of incorporating physiologically sound sleep and rest strategies into the operational aviation environment.
Document ID
20020039782
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Neri, David F.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Rosekind, Mark R.
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1997
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Meeting Information
Meeting: Aerospace Medical and Environmental Medicine Meeting
Location: Chicago, IL
Country: United States
Start Date: May 12, 1997
End Date: May 16, 1997
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 505-64-53
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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