The Efficacy of Hypnotic-Induced Prophylactic Naps for the Maintenance of Alertness and Performance in Sustained Operations,
Abstract
Army aviation units must be capable of sustained operations to achieve a tactical advantage over enemy forces. However, when adequate numbers of personnel are unavailable to staff all shifts 24 hours per day, cognitive efficiency, mood, and motivation rapidly deteriorate because of insufficient sleep. A solution for this problem may be the implementation of a prophylactic napping strategy which allows personnel to store a limited amount of sleep prior to deprivation. Two hour naps have been shown to offer significant alertness benefits in sustained work periods. Unfortunately, although naps have been proven effective in the laboratory, there may be problems in operational situations. For instance, it may not be possible to place naps at times when sleep will be optimal. In these situations, it may be useful to facilitate napping with a short-acting sleep medication such as zolpidem tartrate. This should allow personnel to gain more restful sleep during limited time periods. However, there may be hangover effects since the half life of zolpidem is 2.5 hours.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA321691
Entities
People
- Andre Pegues
- Jo Lynn Caldwell
- John A. Caldwell Jr.
- Jose A. Colon
- Roger W. Jones
Organizations
- United States Army Aeromedical Research Lab