How well do pilots sleep during long-haul flights?
It is imperative that shiftworkers in safety-critical workplaces obtain sufficient sleep to operate effectively. This presents a challenge to long-haul airline pilots who are required to supplement normal bed sleep with sleep on-board an aircraft during flight. In the current study, the sleep/wake behaviour of 301 airline pilots operating long-haul flight patterns was monitored for at least 2 weeks using self-report sleep diaries and wrist activity monitors. The data indicate that sleep opportunities in on-board rest facilities during long-haul flights result in a similar amount of sleep, but only 70% as much recovery, as duration-matched bed sleeps. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: This study indicates that in-flight sleep provides airline pilots with 70% as much restoration as duration-matched bed sleep. To increase the restoration provided by in-flight sleep, airlines could take measures to improve the quality, or increase the amount, of sleep obtained by pilots during flights.
Roach
Gregory D
GD
Centre for Sleep Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia. greg.roach@unisa.edu.au
Darwent
David
D
Dawson
Drew
D
D000328:Adult; D001359:Aviation; D005221:Fatigue; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology*; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance