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Shuttle Sleep Shift Operations Support Program
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English
Abstract
Shuttle crewmembers must frequently alter sleep/wake schedules to accommodate launch and mission timelines. These “alterations” tend to maximize sleep disruption and fatigue leading to a decreased operational “safety margin” during inflight operations.
Changes in normal sleep/wake cycles have been shown to disrupt physiological circadian rhythm causing fatigue, decreased alertness, increased irritability, altered judgement, and increased vulnerability to performance decrements.1
To minimize the impact of schedule shifts, and maximize sleep and physiological adaptation, the NASA operational environment has implemented a program to address these complex issues. The program plan “operationalizes” the experimental protocol used by Czeisler et al. (1990), which involves timed exposure to bright light during the targeted activity period and complete darkness during the targeted sleep period to rapidly shift crewmembers.
Preliminary results of this intervention demonstrate that exposure to bright light at the appropriate time in the circadian schedule resulted in excellent sleep and physiological adaptation of flight crewmembers. Results of this operational intervention and implications for future mission support are presented and discussed.
Topic
Citation
Mathes, K. and Wood, J., "Shuttle Sleep Shift Operations Support Program," SAE Technical Paper 911334, 1991, https://doi.org/10.4271/911334.Also In
References
- Santy, P.A. Davis, J.R. 1990 Circadian shifting of space crews in preparation for and during STS missions White Paper NASA/JSC, Space and Life Sciences Directorate Houston, TX
- Monk, T.H. 1988 How to make shift work safe and productive Des Plaines IL American Society of Safety Engineers
- NASA 1990 Recommendations for the preflight circadian shifting of shuttle flight crew Report of the June 4-6 1990 Workshop Johnson Space Center Houston, TX
- Czeisler C.A. Johnson M.P. Duffy J.F. Brown E.N. Joseph M.R. Kronauer R.E. 1990 Exposure to Bright Light and Darkness to Treat Physiologic Maladaptation to Night Work The New England Journal of Medicine 332 1253 1259