Fatigue

Abstract

The effects of fatigue are of immediate practical interest in the aviation industry, which depends upon round-the-clock (24 hour) operations, for fatigue contributes substantially to the likelihood of accident. The purpose of this paper is to survey current research into the effects of fatigue resulting from jet-lag and loss of sleep, to analyze strategies used to lessen its effects, and to analyze implications of this research for the aviation community. Because fatigue is problematic in the aviation industry, aviation employees frequently self-medicate, often with substances whose manufacturing quality and dosages are uncontrolled. The general finding of research, however is that no physiological or pharmacological measure substitutes for regular, timely sleep, which is biologically set.