Sleep, napping and cyrcadian dysrhythmia in aviation - Essay Example

If fatigue is caused by a longer time period the reaction will be seen in timing errors in response sequences or less smooth control. While it will result in reducing the attention which will affect the preoccupation with single tasks or elements or even reducing audiovisual scan. Fatigue can also cause diminished memory which will lead in forgetting peripheral tasks or even reverting to “old” habit patterns. While withdrawn mood results in, less likeliness of conversing and less likely to perform low-demand tasks Circadian rhythms are intrinsic biological clock with regular changes in mental and physical characteristics occurring every 24 to 25 hours.

Many of these bodily circadian rhythms are controlled by the body’s biological "clock." This includes blood pressure, heart rate, core body temperature etc. The typical circadian cycle, performance peaks between 12pm and 9pm and falls to a minimum circadian trough between 03am and 06am. As the body clock is inherently capable of monitoring the passage of time, it differs from most clocks in that its period is flexible and must be set, or synchronized, before it can accurately predict the timing of periodic environmental events.

Entrainment is accomplished by external synchronizers, Zeitgebers like at sunrise or sunset, ambient temperature, meals or by social cues. Circadian rhythm is a modern problem and is symptomology. It directly affects our performances, mood, motivation, and behavior. It also results in sleep disturbances, lassitude, anxiety, irritability, and depression. While sometime it has slow reaction times, defective memory for recent events, errors in computations, and a tendency to accept lower standards of performance.

So, if someone is rapidly traveling from one time zone to another, the body clock and rhythms it controls must resynchronize to the local geophysical and social zeitgebers. For example eastward travel shortens the day while westward travel