ABSTRACT
This chapter summarises research on the significance of fatigue in accident causation and describes the state of sleep and how it is regulated. It outlines techniques for optimising shift working and sleep regulation, and presents some measures that can reduce levels of fatigue or assist in coping with tiredness while at work. The chapter provides a list of resources on the science of sleep, fatigue and shift work. People are not necessarily good at judging their levels of fatigue, and so subjective measures may underestimate levels of sleepiness. The causes of fatigue include the obvious one of long hours of work, as well as a lack of sleep. The only way of recovering from fatigue is through sleep. There are different kinds of sleep, divided into five stages that are cycled through during an extended period of sleep, typically during one night. Sleep homeostasis and circadian rhythms regulate when one feels alert and when he/she feels tired and fatigued.
