Effects of circadian rhythm, sleep deprivation, and fatigue on watchkeeping performance during the night hours

Abstract

Several studies have been made of the various rapidly rotating watchkeeping systems with 4-hour duty-spells typically followed by naval personnel (Kleitman & Jackson, 19 50; Colquhoun, Blake & Edwards, 1968; Rutenfranz, Aschoff & Mann, 1972). Recent observations on personnel employed on monitoring tasks who were following one of these rotating systems on an extended voyage, revealed that, when their next scheduled watch was from 0400 to 0800, they preferred to stay awake beforehand, “making-up” their lost sleep when they were off duty the following afternoon. The first aim of the present experiment was to assess the effects of staying awake in this way on performance on a monitoring task carried out continuously through the 0400 – 0800 watch.