Alertness management strategies for operational contexts.
This review addresses the problem of fatigue (on-the-job-sleepiness) attributable to sleep loss in modern society and the scientifically proven strategies useful for reducing fatigue-related risks. Fatigue has become pervasive because many people work non-standard schedules, and/or they consistently fail to obtain sufficient sleep. Sleep restriction, sleep deprivation, and circadian desynchronization produce a variety of decrements in cognitive performance as well as an array of occupational and health risks. A number of real-world mishaps have resulted from performance failures associated with operator sleepiness. In some cases, fatigue/sleepiness is unavoidable, at least temporarily, due to job-related or other factors, but in other cases, fatigue/sleepiness results from poor personal choices. Furthermore, some individuals are more vulnerable to the effects of sleep loss than others. Fortunately, fatigue-related risks can be mitigated with scientifically valid alertness-management strategies. Proper work/rest scheduling and good sleep hygiene are of primary importance. If sleep time is available but sleep is difficult to obtain, sleep-inducing medications and behavioral circadian-adjustment strategies are key. In fatiguing situations such as when sleep opportunities are temporarily inadequate, limiting time on tasks, strategic napping, and the potential use of alertness-enhancing compounds must be considered. To optimize any alertness-management program, everyone must first be educated about the nature of the problem and the manner in which accepted remedies should be implemented. In the near future, objective fatigue-detection technologies may contribute substantially to the alleviation of fatigue-related risks in real-world operations.
Caldwell
John A
JA
Archinoetics, LLC, Topa Financial Center, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA. john@archinoetics.com
Caldwell
J Lynn
JL
Schmidt
Regina M
RM
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control; D001288:Attention; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D017751:Safety Management; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D020178:Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D014851:Wakefulness; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance