Rest and Activity Patterns of U.S. Army Aviators in Routine and Operational Training Environments
Abstract
Fatigue continues to be a leading cause of military aviation mishaps. Several factors, including reversed shift missions, can negatively affect sleep patterns and increase the risk of sleep-related fatigue. The purpose of this descriptive study was to document the rest and activity patterns of U.S. Army aviators in operational training and garrison environments using wristworn actigraphy devices. Results from this study indicate that a substantial proportion of participants in the training environment, even after accounting for small sleep bouts during the day, averaged less than the recommended eight hours of sleep across the recording week. Approximately half of the participants in Garrison received less than eight hours of sleep. Sleep efficiency was relatively high in both groups. Moreover, an informal comparison of light exposure metrics revealed that participants in training were exposed to more light than those is garrison. The results highlight the importance of continued research on aviator sleep in operational missions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 06, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1074178
Entities
People
- Amanda Hayes
- Amanda M. Kelley
- Colby Mathews
- David Boudreaux
- Ian P. Curry
- Jim Chiaramonte
- Kathryn A. Feltman
- Kyle A. Bernhardt
Organizations
- United States Army Aeromedical Research Lab