The Role of Sleep in the Military: Implications for Training and Operational Effectiveness

Abstract

This chapter addresses the role of sleep in a variety of military settings, ranging from military education and training regimes and extending to military missions and combat operations. It first overviews the scientific literature related to sleep and performance. It then describes a 10-year series of studies conducted at the Naval Postgraduate School that addresses fatigue and sleep restriction in military settings. These studies examine sleep patterns of Sailors aboard warships and submarines; shift the timing of sleep during training in Navy Recruits and Army Basic Combat Trainees; follow Cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point in a 4-year longitudinal study; and assess sleep in operational environments including surveys of warfighters while deployed and recently returned from combat in Southwest Asia. Results of many of these studies are reviewed concluding with recommendations advocating the inclusion of sleep as a factor when calculating military effectiveness.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2011
Accession Number
ADA550390

Entities

People

  • Aileen Kenney
  • Nita L. Miller
  • Panagiotis Matsangas

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Basic Training
  • Boats
  • Human Factors Engineering
  • Military Education
  • Military Operations
  • Military Science
  • Military Training
  • Naval Operations
  • Naval Warfare
  • Navy
  • Operations Research
  • Psychology
  • Students
  • United States
  • United States Military Academy
  • Uss Lake Erie
  • Uss Port Royal

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Circadian Sleep-Wake Regulation and Chronobiology
  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Military Leadership and Professional Education.