Drowsy Driving - Stay Alert, Arrive Alive » drowsy

Countermeasures: Stop for the Night

sleepfoundation — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:06:04 +0000

Find a safe place to stop for a break or for the night. If you plan on napping longer than 30 minutes, your best option is to choose a safe rest stop or motel, allowing you to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep. This is the recommended amount of sleep for adults and will leave you feeling recovered, refreshed and well-rested the next day on the road. If possible, request a cool and quiet room away from elevators, ice machines or busy roads in order to avoid late-night noise.

Countermeasures: Taking a Nap

sleepfoundation — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:32:07 +0000

Pull off into a safe, well-lit area away from traffic and take a brief nap: 15-20 minutes is best. Short naps can help improve mood, performance and short-term alertness. If you plan on napping longer than 20 to 30 minutes, you may want to consider finding a safe place to get a full night’s rest – 7 to 9 hours for adults – before resuming driving. Longer naps may result in sleep inertia, leaving you groggy and disoriented, which can be detrimental to driving.

Sleepless on Pennsylvania Avenue

sleepfoundation — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:15:19 +0000

If you think your work schedule is demanding, try being an adviser for the president. A recent article in the Washington Post examined the hectic schedules of members of President Obama’s Administration, including their bouts with sleepless nights and fatigue. According to the Post, grueling schedules aren’t anything new at the Oval Office. Previous administrations had their share of 18- to 20-hour work days. However, a study conducted for British Parliament concluded that the mental fatigue resulting from working those kinds of hours can affect “cognitive performance, leading to errors of judgment, microsleeps (lasting for seconds or minutes), mood swings and poor motivation,” according to the Post. Short sleep duration also is linked with an increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, an increase in body mass index, an increased risk of diabetes and heart problems, an increased risk for psychiatric conditions including depression and substance abuse, and a decreased ability to pay attention, react to signals or remember new information. According to the Post, staff members are starting to take breaks. But they’re going to need more than a weekend getaway to catch up on their sleep.

Read the article.
Learn more about How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?

New Rules Needed to Reduce Pilot Fatigue

sleepfoundation — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:06:18 +0000

The Federal Aviation Administration stated on Wednesday that recommendations for new rules aimed at limiting pilot fatigue need to be submitted by Sept. 1, according to a recent USA Today article. In a recent string of crashes — including the accident in Buffalo, NY, last February that killed 50 — pilots stated they had not received a full night’s sleep. Airlines are currently operating under 50-year-old rules allowing pilots to fly up to eight hours a day. Including ground time between flights, their day can extend up to 16 hours. Curtis Graeber, a researcher of pilot fatigue for nearly 30 years and a National Sleep Foundation board member, told USA Today that research is a better predictor of how long pilots should work rather than limiting hours. Graeber stated factors that should be considered by the governing bodies, including how many days in a row a pilot may work and allowing for an adequate rest period to ensure pilots have a good night’s sleep. Some believe that a consensus between airlines and pilot unions will prove challenging.

Read the USA Today article.