Sleep & Cognitive Performance
Sleep & Cognitive Performance
Have you ever had the terrifying experience of feeling that you were on the verge of falling asleep a the wheel of an automobile? Imagine being responsible for hundreds of lives piloting an aircraft at 40,000 feet when sleepiness strikes.
Although the risks of operational sleepiness are much much higher with pilots than typical workers, their environments put them at greater risk for sleep disturbance. Jet lag, circadian rhythm disturbances and working in an environment where it is challenging to optimize diet and exercise are all factors that make sleep elusive.
In this section of GFM, we will discuss the importance of sleep for general health and well being as well as discuss optimization of cognitive performance in general.
Explore additional topics in Sleep & Cognitive Performance below!
Stimulants & Sleep Aids in Military Aviation
Chemical stimulants and sleeping aids have a long history of use in improving performance in military personnel. The first pharmacologic stimulant, Amphetamine, became available by prescription in 1937. It was used in…
Combat Stress Response & Tactical Breathing
I recently finished the book, On Combat: The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace, by former Army Ranger turned psychologist, Lt Col (ret.) Dave Grossman.…
Combating Fighter Pilot Fatigue
Pilot fatigue is a constant threat to all aircrew. There are particular risk factors for those flying high-performance fighter platforms. Flying high-G sorties is physically exhausting. This is an tiring business…
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