Learning to Live on a Mars Day: Fatigue Countermeasures during the Phoenix Mars Lander Mission

作者：Barger Laura K^*; Sullivan Jason P; Vincent Andrea S; Fiedler Edna R; McKenna Laurence M; Flynn Evans Erin E; Gilliland Kirby; Sipes Walter E; Smith Peter H; Brainard George C; Lockley Steven W

来源：SLEEP, 2012, 35(10): 1423-1435.

DOI：10.5665/sleep.2128

• Shift work
• performance
• sleep
• circadian
• light

Study Objectives: To interact with the robotic Phoenix Mars Lander (PML) spacecraft, mission personnel were required to work on a Mars day (24.65 h) for 78 days. This alien schedule presents a challenge to Earth-bound circadian physiology and a potential risk to workplace performance and safety. We evaluated the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of a fatigue management program to facilitate synchronization with the Mars day and alleviate circadian misalignment, sleep loss, and fatigue. %26lt;br%26gt;Design: Operational field study. %26lt;br%26gt;Setting: PML Science Operations Center. %26lt;br%26gt;Participants: Scientific and technical personnel supporting PML mission. %26lt;br%26gt;Interventions: Sleep and fatigue education was offered to all support personnel. A subset (n = 19) were offered a short-wavelength (blue) light panel to aid alertness and mitigate/reduce circadian desynchrony. They were assessed using a daily sleep/work diary, continuous wrist actigraphy, and regular performance tests. Subjects also completed 48-h urine collections biweekly for assessment of the circadian 6-sulphatoxymelatonin rhythm. %26lt;br%26gt;Measurements and Results: Most participants (87%) exhibited a circadian period consistent with adaptation to a Mars day. When synchronized, main sleep duration was 5.98 +/- 0.94 h, but fell to 4.91 +/- 1.22 h when misaligned (P %26lt; 0.001). Self-reported levels of fatigue and sleepiness also significantly increased when work was scheduled at an inappropriate circadian phase (P %26lt; 0.001). Prolonged wakefulness (%26gt;= 21 h) was associated with a decline in performance and alertness (P %26lt; 0.03 and P %26lt; 0.0001, respectively). %26lt;br%26gt;Conclusions: The ability of the participants to adapt successfully to the Mars day suggests that future missions should utilize a similar circadian rhythm and fatigue management program to reduce the risk of sleepiness-related errors that jeopardize personnel safety and health during critical missions.

• 出版日期2012-10-1