The optimal performance of astronauts during extended-duration space flight depends heavily on achieving recovery through adequate sleep. There is now extensive evidence that astronaut sleep in space averages 4 to 6.5 hours per day, and when critical operations (e.g., nighttime docking) are scheduled, very little sleep may be obtained during a day prior to the critical event. Ground-based experiments on healthy adults by our laboratory and others have demonstrated that limiting daily sleep duration to less than 7 hours leads to cumulative deficits in neurocognitive performance and alertness. Within 1-2 weeks of sleep restriction at levels experienced by astronauts, performance deficits were serious; impairments on tasks requiring sustained attention, working memory and cognitive throughput reached levels equivalent to those found after 1-2 nights of total sleep loss.

The experiment will determine the countermeasure benefits for performance (during critical operations and subsequent days of sleep restriction) from an acute increase in sleep duration (i.e., single night of recovery sleep). In addition, generating sleep dose-response functions will provide critically needed information on the adverse performance consequences of an acute reduction in sleep duration below the chronic sleep-restriction level, which can occur in space flight prior to a day of critical operations. We will establish sleep dose-response curves for the immediate and delayed impact on neurobehavioral functions, of an acute (1 night) change in sleep duration midway in a period of chronic sleep restriction. We will determine if performance recovery is complete after 2 nights of extended sleep, following chronic sleep restriction. In addition to the impact of a single night intervention (specific aim 1), we seek to resolve whether complete neurobehavioral recovery from prolonged chronic sleep restriction is possible within 2 nights. We will investigate the relationship between sleep physiology and performance responses. We will investigate the effects of chronic sleep restriction, acute sleep intervention, and recovery sleep on cardiovascular indices. (2) We are currently in the process of performing preliminary analyses on the data collected. Specifically, we are analyzing the neurobehavioral performance changes across the experimental protocol, and the recovery phase. We are also beginning analysis for the construction of the dose response recovery curves from the chronic sleep restriction. We are in the process of manual scoring and analysis of the polysomnographic data.

(3) At the current time we are still analyzing the data and we have not yet fully constructed the dose response recovery curves. Preliminary analysis however supports the hypothesis that as time in bed for sleep increases on the acute intervention night, following chronic sleep restriction, performance on the next day of simulated critical operations is improved in a sleep duration dose-response manner.

(4) Data collection is complete and analysis of the data has commenced. We anticipate submitting several manuscripts to peer review journals this year, which will begin to reveal the relationship between the varying durations of time in bed and recovery of waking neurobehavioral and physiological outcomes, following chronic partial sleep deprivation.

The optimal performance of astronauts during extended-duration space flight depends heavily on achieving recovery through adequate sleep. There is now extensive evidence that astronaut sleep in space averages 4 to 6.5 hours per day, and when critical operations (e.g., nighttime docking) are scheduled, very little sleep may be obtained during a day prior to the critical event. Ground-based experiments on healthy adults by our laboratory and others have demonstrated that limiting daily sleep duration to less than 7 hours leads to cumulative deficits in neurocognitive performance and alertness. Within 1-2 weeks of sleep restriction at levels experienced by astronauts, performance deficits were serious; impairments on tasks requiring sustained attention, working memory and cognitive throughput reached levels equivalent to those found after 1-2 nights of total sleep loss.

The experiment will determine the countermeasure benefits for performance (during critical operations and subsequent days of sleep restriction) from an acute increase in sleep duration (i.e., single night of recovery sleep). In addition, generating sleep dose-response functions will provide critically needed information on the adverse performance consequences of an acute reduction in sleep duration below the chronic sleep-restriction level, which can occur in space flight prior to a day of critical operations. We will establish sleep dose-response curves for the immediate and delayed impact on neurobehavioral functions, of an acute (1 night) change in sleep duration midway in a period of chronic sleep restriction. We will determine if performance recovery is complete after 2 nights of extended sleep, following chronic sleep restriction. In addition to the impact of a single night intervention (specific aim 1), we seek to resolve whether complete neurobehavioral recovery from prolonged chronic sleep restriction is possible within 2 nights. We will investigate the relationship between sleep physiology and performance responses. We will investigate the effects of chronic sleep restriction, acute sleep intervention, and recovery sleep on cardiovascular indices.

(2) We are currently in the process of performing preliminary analyses on the data collected. Specifically, we are analyzing the neurobehavioral performance changes across the experimental protocol, and the recovery phase. We are also beginning analysis for the construction of the dose response recovery curves from the chronic sleep restriction. We are in the process of manual scoring and analysis of the polysomnographic data.

(3) At the current time we are still collecting and analyzing the data and we have not yet fully constructed the dose response recovery curves. Preliminary analysis however supports the hypothesis that as time in bed for sleep increases on the acute intervention night, following chronic sleep restriction, performance on the next day of simulated critical operations is improved in a sleep duration dose-response manner.

(4) We will continue with the data collection across the next two years, to complete a total of 80 subjects. The data collected in the coming year will address the specific aims listed above. Data analysis has commenced, and will continue throughout the data collection process. Neuropsychological, performance, mood and sleep quality data collected thus far will be presented at the 21st Annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies conference in Minneapolis next June. We anticipate submitting several manuscripts to peer review journals this year, which will begin to reveal the relationship between the varying durations of time in bed and recovery of waking neurobehavioral and physiological outcomes, following chronic partial sleep deprivation.

The optimal performance of astronauts during extended-duration space flight depends heavily on achieving recovery through adequate sleep. There is now extensive evidence that astronaut sleep in space averages 4 to 6.5 hours per day, and when critical operations (e.g., nighttime docking) are scheduled, very little sleep may be obtained during a day prior to the critical event. Ground-based experiments on healthy adults by our laboratory and others have demonstrated that limiting daily sleep duration to less than 7 hours leads to cumulative deficits in neurocognitive performance and alertness. Within 1-2 weeks of sleep restriction at levels experienced by astronauts, performance deficits were serious; impairments on tasks requiring sustained attention, working memory and cognitive throughput reached levels equivalent to those found after 1-2 nights of total sleep loss.

The experiment will determine the countermeasure benefits for performance (during critical operations and subsequent days of sleep restriction) from an acute increase in sleep duration (i.e., single night of recovery sleep). In addition, generating sleep dose-response functions will provide critically needed information on the adverse performance consequences of an acute reduction in sleep duration below the chronic sleep-restriction level, which can occur in space flight prior to a day of critical operations. We will establish sleep dose-response curves for the immediate and delayed impact on neurobehavioral functions, of an acute (1 night) change in sleep duration midway in a period of chronic sleep restriction. We will determine if performance recovery is complete after 2 nights of extended sleep, following chronic sleep restriction. In addition to the impact of a single night intervention (specific aim 1), we seek to resolve whether complete neurobehavioral recovery from prolonged chronic sleep restriction is possible within 2 nights. We will investigate the relationship between sleep physiology and performance responses. We will investigate the effects of chronic sleep restriction, acute sleep intervention, and recovery sleep on cardiovascular indices. (2) We are currently in the process of performing preliminary analyses on the data collected. Specifically, we are analyzing the neurobehavioral performance changes across the experimental protocol, and the recovery phase. We are also beginning analysis for the construction of the dose response recovery curves from the chronic sleep restriction. We are in the process of manual scoring and analysis of the polysomnographic data.

(3) At the current time we are still collecting and analyzing the data and we have not yet fully constructed the dose response recovery curves. Preliminary analysis however supports the hypothesis that as time in bed for sleep increases on the acute intervention night, following chronic sleep restriction, performance on the next day of simulated critical operations is improved in a sleep duration dose-response manner.

(4) We will continue with the data collection across the next two years, to complete a total of 80 subjects. The data collected in the coming year will address the specific aims listed above. Data analysis has commenced, and will continue throughout the data collection process. Neuropsychological, performance, mood and sleep quality data collected thus far will be presented at the 20th Annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies conference in Salt Lake City next June. We anticipate submitting several manuscripts to peer review journals next year, which will begin to reveal the relationship between the varying durations of time in bed and recovery of waking neurobehavioral and physiological outcomes, following chronic partial sleep deprivation.

The optimal performance of astronauts during extended-duration space flight depends heavily on achieving recovery through adequate sleep. There is now extensive evidence that astronaut sleep in space averages 4 to 6.5 hours per day, and when critical operations (e.g., nighttime docking) are scheduled, very little sleep may be obtained during a day prior to the critical event. Ground-based experiments on healthy adults by our laboratory and others have demonstrated that limiting daily sleep duration to less than 7 hours leads to cumulative deficits in neurocognitive performance and alertness. Within 1-2 weeks of sleep restriction at levels experienced by astronauts, performance deficits were serious; impairments on tasks requiring sustained attention, working memory and cognitive throughput reached levels equivalent to those found after 1-2 nights of total sleep loss.

The experiment will determine the countermeasure benefits for performance (during critical operations and subsequent days of sleep restriction) from an acute increase in sleep duration (i.e., single night of recovery sleep). In addition, generating sleep dose-response functions will provide critically needed information on the adverse performance consequences of an acute reduction in sleep duration below the chronic sleep-restriction level, which can occur in space flight prior to a day of critical operations. We will establish sleep dose-response curves for the immediate and delayed impact on neurobehavioral functions, of an acute (1 night) change in sleep duration midway in a period of chronic sleep restriction. We will determine if performance recovery is complete after 2 nights of extended sleep, following chronic sleep restriction. In addition to the impact of a single night intervention (specific aim 1), we seek to resolve whether complete neurobehavioral recovery from prolonged chronic sleep restriction is possible within 2 nights. We will investigate the relationship between sleep physiology and performance responses. We will investigate the effects of chronic sleep restriction, acute sleep intervention, and recovery sleep on cardiovascular indices. (2) We are currently in the process of performing preliminary analyses on the data collected. Specifically, we are analyzing the neurobehavioral performance changes across the experimental protocol, and the recovery phase. We are also beginning the preliminary analysis for construction of the dose response recovery curves from the chronic sleep restriction. We are in the process of manual scoring and analysis of the polysomnographic data.

(3) At the current time we are still collecting and analyzing the data and we have not yet fully constructed the dose response recovery curves. Preliminary analysis however supports the hypothesis that as time in bed for sleep increases on the acute intervention night, following chronic sleep restriction, performance on the next day of simulated critical operations is improved in a sleep duration dose-response manner.

(4) We will continue with the data collection across the next three years, to complete a total of 80 subjects. The data collected in the coming year will address the specific aims listed above. Data analysis has commenced, and will continue throughout the data collection process. Neuropsychological, performance, mood and sleep quality data collected thus far will be presented at the 19th Annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies conference in Denver next June. We anticipate submitting several manuscripts to peer review journals next year, which will begin to reveal the relationship between the varying durations of time in bed and recovery of waking neurobehavioral and physiological outcomes, following chronic partial sleep deprivation.