My other hobby these days is long distance motorcycle riding. As you can
imagine, falling asleep during a "run" has much more significant potential
impact in that activity than in radio contesting. However, the same
principles apply.
The document below was recently shared with the "LDRIDERS" reflector:
73,
N5NJ
****************************************************************************
********************************************************
Quotes from a recent Transportation Research Board Study on "Motorcoach
Industry Hours of Service and Fatigue Management Techniques"
On Sources of Fatigue:
People who exercise regularly have fewer episodes of sleeplessness.
Isolated exercise, while not an effective countermeasure for immediate
fatigue, can improve sleep quality by promoting smoother, more-regular
transitions between the cycles and phases of sleep. Moderate exercise
lasting 20 to 30 minutes, three or four times a week, promotes sleep.
What one eats can be a determining factor in sleep quality and duration.
Some dietary behaviors that can disrupt sleep include:
* Eating heavy or spicy foods just prior to bedtime, which can interfere
with sleep by causing heartburn;
* Consuming alcohol just prior to bedtime can induce sleep initially, but
tends to lead to fragmented sleep; and
* Consuming caffeine within 4 to 6 hours before bedtime can delay the onset
of sleep as well as disrupt sleep.
Reduced liquid consumption can then lead to dehydration, which can cause
operators to become fatigued more quickly than usual.
Operators are exposed to engine noises in all transportation vehicles, as
well as related noises emanating from controls, transmissions, braking
systems, and wind streams. Some of these noises present more of a
hearing-conservation issue than a driver fatigue issue. In fact, wearing ear
protection in the presence of these noises is often called for; however,
these noises can also contribute to an operator's level of fatigue. The
continuous "hum" and other intermittent noises of most running engines,
especially in hot and stuffy crew compartments, can contribute to sleepiness
on lengthy trips.
On Strategies and Techniques to Counter Fatigue:
Individual countermeasures may need to be combined, based on specific
operational circumstances. Countermeasures included in this category are as
follows:
* Obtaining adequate sleep,
* Napping,
* Anchor sleep,
* Caffeine,
* Trip planning, and
* Good sleeping environment.
To be most restful and recuperative, sleep stages should proceed through all
the sleep cycles. This is why eight 1-hour naps do not provide the
restorative rest of a longer continuous sleep period.
A nap of less than 90 minutes, or one that does not go through an entire
sleep cycle of slow wave and REM sleep, will not significantly add to a
short main sleep period and may not prevent the onset of fatigue. While a
nap of up to 20 minutes may not compensate for inadequate daily sleep, it
may eliminate the performance manifestations of fatigue for a short period
of time. This type of nap is usually unscheduled and results from an
uncontrollable sleep pressure or need to sleep. As such, this "emergency"
nap should be reserved for infrequent use and not be a regular component of
an individual's sleep schedule.
Our bodies gradually build up a tolerance to repeated consumption of high
levels of caffeine (e.g., 5+ cups of coffee per day). A frequent coffee
drinker may need a higher dose of caffeine to obtain the same "boost" effect
of the more casual coffee drinker. Therefore, workers who wish to benefit
from the alerting effects of caffeine should consume caffeine sparingly and
"save the boost effect" until they really need it (e.g., during two known
physiological lull points of every day: 1-4 PM and 1-4 AM).
Countermeasures of Varying Effectiveness:
* Nicotine (not an effective stimulant for maintaining alertness);
* Ventilation and temperature (effects are fleeting and temporary);
* Exercise (taking rest breaks and exercising energizes one for a short
while, but then onset of driver drowsiness returns quickly);
* Diet (longer term solution to health, wellness, and fitness helps to a
point);
* Sound (noise-induced alertness gets old and tends to be aggravating to a
tired driver); and
* Odor/Fragrance (fleeting effects are not very helpful in maintaining
alertness).
-----Original Message-----
From: cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Lawrence Stoskopf
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 4:11 PM
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Sleep deprivation
An old thread: The latest issue of the Anesthesia Patient Safety
Foundation, listed on the WEB as (appropriately) the Sprint issue is focused
on Fatigue and the Practice of Anesthesiology.
http://www.apsf.org/resource_center/newsletter/2005/spring/01fatigue.htm
Unfortunately they did not post the article on Performance-Enhancing Drugs.
Provigil (modafinil) is included in the discussion.
www.provigil.com
There is a quote from a DARPA website that, "Sleep deprivation is a fact of
modern combat. Current operations depend on a warfighter's ability to
function for extended periods of time without adequate sleep".
The article concludes, "For performance-enhancing drugs, presently there is
no rational code, but there is a clear coda: the genie is out of the
bottle."
A later article is titled: "Cure for the Dopey Doc?"
So, would you dislike losing to someone on a relatively harmless boost.
Would you dislike missing a rare DX because he took a nap rather than
hanging on for "a few more"?
N0UU
_______________________________________________
CQ-Contest mailing list
CQ-Contest@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
_______________________________________________
CQ-Contest mailing list
CQ-Contest@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
|