ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the physiological underpinnings of pilot fatigue reviewed along with the factors that are currently thought to influence fatigue vulnerability as well as the rate at which individuals recover from fatigue. An integrated consideration of the information presented here help ensure optimal alertness, performance, and safety in the aviation context. The homeostatic drive for sleep is primarily a function of the amount of sleep recently and/or routinely obtained and the amount of time between the end of the last sleep period and the beginning of the duty period. The circadian clock, or time of day according to the body's clock, is the second important contributor to operator alertness. Wrist-activity monitoring translates the frequency and time-course of body movements into measures of sleep quantity, sleep quality, and sleep/wake timing. Using the bedroom only for things that are compatible with sleep is important because keeping non-sleep-related activities out of the bedroom avoids the development of associations between the sleep environments.
