Alertness management strategies for operational contexts

This review addresses the problem of fatigue (on-the-job-sleepiness) attributable to steep toss in modern society and the scientifically proven strategies useful for reducing fatigue-related risks. Fatigue has become pervasive because many people work non-standard schedules, and/or they consistently fait to obtain sufficient steep. Steep restriction, steep deprivation, and circadian desynchronization produce a variety of decrements in cognitive performance as well as an array of occupational and health risks. A number of real-world mishaps have resulted from performance failures associated with operator sleepiness. In some cases, fatigue/sleepiness is unavoidable, at least temporarily, due to job-related or other factors, but in other cases, fatigue/sleepiness results from poor personal choices. Furthermore, some individuals are more vulnerable to the effects of steep loss than others. Fortunately, fatigue-related risks can be mitigated with scientifically valid alertness-management strategies. Proper work/rest scheduling and good steep hygiene are of primary importance. If steep time is available but steep is difficult to obtain, steep-inducing medications and behavioral circadian-adjustment strategies are key. In fatiguing situations such as when steep opportunities are temporarily inadequate, limiting time on tasks, strategic napping, and the potential use of alertness-enhancing compounds must be considered. To optimize any alertness-management program, everyone must first be educated about the nature of the problem and the manner in which accepted remedies should be implemented. In the near future, objective fatigue-detection technologies may contribute substantially to the alleviation of fatigue-related risks in real-world operations. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.