| Pilots, drivers and operators face unique challenges | | | | Period Two: 12 midnight to 6am; the operator must |
| while operating airplanes, trucks, trains, ships and | | | | be in place and ready for rest, not just leaving a duty |
| nuclear power plants; they spend hours, days and | | | | station, and must remain there until 6am before |
| weeks at boring routine duties interspersed with | | | | leaving to return to duty. |
| moments of sheer terror when only one correct | | | | Period Three: 3am to 9am: the operator must be in |
| response can be made in a split second. The | | | | place and ready for rest, not just leaving a duty |
| outcome for a delayed or incorrect action could be | | | | station, and must remain there until 9am before |
| deadly for many people. Proper sleep at night; a | | | | leaving to return to duty. |
| balanced, low fat and moderate carbohydrate diet | | | | This system would ensure that some amount of |
| and moderate daily exercise are a must to ensure | | | | sleep takes place when it is dark. |
| public safety. | | | | These sleep periods would be planned on a weekly |
| If a sales person, editor, engineer or an accountant | | | | basis by the employer not the operator. Random |
| make a mistake because they didn't sleep well the | | | | audits of schedules and operators records would be |
| night before it might cost lost time and a lot of | | | | required along with proof (vehicles GPS records, hotel |
| money. But when the mistake is found it can be | | | | receipts and logs). |
| corrected and the worker disciplined or even fired. | | | | For drivers and pilots that must eat on the road or in |
| But if a airline pilot's concentration is broken and the | | | | airports finding low-fat, low-carbohydrate foods is |
| plane crashes and burns there is no fixing the deaths | | | | nearly impossible. Relying on coffee or energy drinks |
| of several hundred people. If a truck driver dozes off | | | | will further disrupt sleep cycles. Ongoing and |
| for a few seconds, 80,000 pounds of truck careening | | | | continuing education on good, healthy diet choices |
| out of control at sixty-miles-per-hour will result in a | | | | would be necessary and as demand for these food |
| devastating wreck. In fact I believe that most | | | | products rise truck stops and airports will respond |
| mistakes of any kind are related to lack of sleep, | | | | with more options. Twenty minutes of fast walking in |
| poor nutrition and little exercise. | | | | an airport terminal would be an easy way for flight |
| The daily awake/sleep cycle or Circadian Rhythm, is | | | | crews to get exercise and tread mills could be |
| the most critical of the three behaviors. Not getting | | | | installed at truck stops. Operators would be required |
| sleep when it's dark will have an immediate impact on | | | | to log food and activity on their employer generated |
| concentration the following day. Six to eight hours of | | | | duty schedules. |
| sleep when there is no sunshine is an absolute must! | | | | The best way to self-check if you are getting a |
| Work schedules will have to be built around this | | | | good nights sleep is if you dream. Do you ever wake |
| critical darkness sleep time and more workers may | | | | up and remember your dreams? If not, you may not |
| have to hired. In order to cover the need for | | | | be getting the proper sleep to maintain concentration |
| twenty-four hour, seven day service a "dark sleep | | | | the next day. |
| period system" can be devised: | | | | Making sure operators in high-risk jobs such as pilots, |
| Period One: 9pm to 3am; the operator must be in | | | | truck drivers, doctors, nurses and power plant |
| place and ready for rest, not just leaving a duty | | | | personal will cost more but in the long run will save |
| station, and must remain there until 3am before | | | | many more lives and money because of fewer |
| leaving to return to duty. | | | | catastrophic mistakes. |