PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S) : James D. Frost, William H. Shumate, Joseph G. 



Salamy, and Cletis R. Booher 



EXPERIMENT TITLE/NUMBER : Sleep Monitoring on Skylab , M1 33 



PROGRAM/MISSION : Skylab 2, 3, 4 



CLASSIFICATION : Human 



DISCIPLINE(S) : Neurosensory, Behavioral science 



OBJECTIVES : To obtain the first objective evaluation of man's ability to 

 sleep during extended space travel. 



PROTOCOL : One of the astronauts from each mission wore a fitted cap during 

 his sleep periods containing electrodes for EEG measurements of brain waves, 

 accelerometers to record motions of the head, and with electrodes near one eye 

 to sense REM sleep. Signals from these sensors, recorded on magnetic tape and 

 analyzed after return to Earth, permitted conclusions regarding the depth and 

 length of the sleep stages. The data collected were preflight EEG and EOG 

 data of the crewman for three consecutive nights of sleep, periodical inflight 

 EEG and EOG data throughout the crewman's sleep period, and postflight sleep 

 EEG's and EOG's on approximately the 1st, 3rd, and 5th day after recovery. 



EQUIPMENT : Electroencephalograph^ equipment, electro-oculographic equipment, 

 elastic recording cap. 



RESULTS : Analysis of EEG, EOG, and head movement showed no major changes in 

 sleep characteristics. None of the crewmen complained excessively of sleeping 

 difficulties . 



CONCLUSIONS : These findings suggest that men are able to obtain adequate 

 sleep in regularly scheduled 8-hour rest periods during extended space 

 flights. The alterations in sleep patterns which were observed during these 

 missions were not of the type, nor of sufficient magnitude (with the possible 

 exception of the initial portion of the 84-day mission) , to result in 

 significant degradation of performance capability. Alterations seen 

 postflight were those of sleep quality and not quantity. 



PUBLICATIONS : 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208 



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