Air Force promotes fatigue countermeasures Published July 30, 2015 By Air Force Materiel Command Health and Wellness WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Human fatigue results from sleep deprivation. Fatigue has become a growing concern in the Air Force as sustained and continuous operations, along with global deployments, are stretching the ability of our forces to meet growing mission demands. Some Airmen may question whether fatigue is really a big enough hazard to worry about. Fatigue can decrease an Airman's attention span and reaction times, and can impair their mental process, which can lead to increased probability of operational errors, mishaps and off-duty accidents. Ensuring that Airmen get the proper amount of sleep has become a serious challenge. The Air Force defines fatigue as the state of tiredness associated with: · Long hours of work · Prolonged periods without sleep · Physiologic stressors of the flight environment · The requirement to work at times that are out of sync with the body's biological -- or circadian -- rhythms To raise awareness about fatigue and disseminate information to Airmen regarding strategies for its management, the Air Force Medical Operations Agency has developed and published the Air Force Fatigue Management Guide. Highlights of the guide include: understanding the nature of fatigue, fatigue countermeasures, good sleep habits and advice for handling unavoidable sleep loss. One hard-copy of the guide will be distributed to each current and incoming Airman during the next year. The point of contact for distribution of the guide is the installation's Medical Group. An electronic guide is also available; instructions to download can be found at the AFMCwellness.com website or by contacting a Med Group point of contact. Civilian employees can obtain their "Guide to Healthy Sleep" booklet by visiting www.AFMCwellness.com. As part of the fatigue management campaign, classes will be held throughout August to help educate personnel. "The Hanscom Civilian Health Promotion Services program will offer two classes, 'The Importance of Sleep' and 'Swing Shift Health,' for base personnel to understand risks associated with sleep deprivation," said Orlagh Pawlyk, CHPS coordinator. "The classes will provide useful information on fatigue management." The importance of sleep is often underestimated, Pawlyk added, many people are unaware of the complications associated with fatigue. Insufficient sleep is correlated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, depression and obesity. Class offerings are scheduled on the following dates: The Importance of Sleep Aug. 6 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. in Building 1540 in the Health Promotions classroom Aug. 10 from 9 to 10 a.m. in Building 1540 in the Health Promotions classroom Aug. 19 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. at the Hanscom Conference Center Aug. 24 from 2 to 3 p.m. in Building 1540 in the Health Promotions classroom Swing Shift Health Aug. 3 from 3 to 4 p.m. in Building 1540 in the Health Promotions classroom Aug. 25 from 10 to 11 a.m. in Building 1540 in the Health Promotions classroom To register to attend one of the Hanscom fatigue management classes, or for further information, contact Pawlyk at 781-225-6377 or at Hanscom.CHPS@us.af.mil.