| Piloting a small or large aircraft is a serious job that | | | | sleep and have a set bed time and nightly routine. |
| requires precision and awareness. Over the last few | | | | Eliminate as much light and sound as possible and |
| years fatigue has become a very widely known | | | | make your bedroom a cool and comfortable sleeping |
| cause of many flight problems and crashes. This is | | | | environment. Exercise during the day and not before |
| especially so when it comes to major airliner | | | | going to bed. Do not eat or drink caffeine before going |
| companies but applies to any one in aviation. Fatigue | | | | to bed. |
| caused by sleep deprivation and other sleep disorders | | | | Keeping track of your sleeping patterns and daily |
| make pilots at high risk for mistakes that could result in | | | | habits can help you determine if certain activities, food, |
| disaster. Simple things like taking one more student on | | | | or beverages are affecting the amount of sleep you |
| a flying lesson at the end of the day can be | | | | get. A sleep diary is a great way to monitor these |
| detrimental if the licensed pilot is lacking the sleep they | | | | things along with stress and other factors that can |
| need. | | | | prevent a good night's rest. Often this is one of the |
| Americans in general work too long of hours, eat the | | | | first things a doctor will recommend so a pattern can |
| wrong foods, do not exercise enough, and in turn don't | | | | be determined and appropriate treatment and sleeping |
| get the sleep they need. Pilots develop these habits | | | | changes can be made. A diary should be kept for at |
| just as anyone else. In order to break the cycle, habits | | | | least two weeks. Write down when you go to sleep |
| must be changed and good sleep must be attained. | | | | and wake up every day, foods eaten, activities done |
| Some conditions require medical assistance, but | | | | before bed, and any time you wake throughout the |
| general fatigue and sleep deprivation can often be | | | | night. Any other information you feel is important can |
| cured just by getting enough sleep each night. A | | | | be written down as well. |
| person's estimate of the amount of sleep they get | | | | Sleep disorders and pilots are not a good combination. |
| each night is often wrong. Many people have trouble | | | | Many people's lives can be put in danger and the lack |
| falling asleep, wake many times throughout the night, | | | | of sleep can affect the pilot's ability to make decisions |
| and wake up feeling drained and more tired than when | | | | and react properly during a flight. Make any changes |
| they were at bed time. | | | | that will help you get more sleep. As a pilot, you have |
| If you are a pilot who has trouble sleeping, changing | | | | the responsibility of other people's lives along with |
| sleeping habits can make a drastic change in how | | | | yours and your crew. Taking care of yourself |
| much sleep you get and how well you sleep through | | | | appropriately will ensure that everyone gets to their |
| the night. You should always try to get eight hours of | | | | destination safely every time you fly. |