Melatonin and Zopiclone as Facilitators of Early Circadian Sleep in Operational Air Transport Crews
- Authors
- Corporate Authors
- Defence R&D Canada - Toronto, Toronto ONT (CAN)
- Abstract
- This study was an extension into an operational setting of previous laboratory work investigating the use of zopiclone and melatonin to facilitate early circadian sleep in transport aircrew. The previous laboratory based study demonstrated that both melatonin and zopiclone were effective in inducing early circadian sleep without impacting on psychomotor performance after a 7-hour sleep period. Methods. In a repeated measures placebo controlled protocol 30 aircrew flew 3 transatlantic missions over which they took each of the 3 medications (placebo, sustained-release melatonin 2mg, or zopiclone 5 mg) at an early body clock time (1700 hrs) during their first stopover. They wore wrist actigraphs prior to, and throughout the missions, took a single dose of their scheduled medication immediately prior to their early circadian bed-time and completed a sleep questionnaire upon arising from their medicated sleep. Results. Actigraphic data: Relative to placebo, aircrew on melatonin fell asleep more quickly (p<.01), slept more (p<.02), had fewer awakenings after sleep onset (p<.004), and spent less time awake after sleep onset (p<.01). On zopiclone they also fell asleep more quickly (p<.003), slept more (p<.005), had fewer awakenings (p<.01) and spent less time awake after sleep onset (p<.05). Questionnaire data: Relative to placebo, on melatonin aircrew experienced less difficulty getting to sleep (p<.0001), had fewer awakenings (p<.005), less difficulty returning to sleep after awake
- Keywords
- Aircrew fatigue;Human performance;Air Transport Operations;Melatonin;Zoplicone;Early circadian sleep
- Report Number
- DRDC-TORONTO-SL-2003-149 — Scientific Literature
- Date of publication
- 01 May 2004
- Number of Pages
- 7
- Reprinted from
- Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine, vol 75, no 5, 2004, p 439-443
- DSTKIM No
- CA025715
- CANDIS No
- 523422
- Format(s):
- Electronic Document(PDF)
Document 1 of 1
- Date modified: