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Dept for Transport

Answer

Mrs May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has undertaken into the effects of sleep deprivation in the context of night flights. [195201] Charlotte Atkins: There is no unique technical definition of sleep `deprivation' but it is generally taken to mean substantial periods of reduced sleep duration over one or more nights. It is distinct from sleep `disturbance' which is also variously defined, but in general can encompass both transient arousals from sleep, and longer-lasting awakenings. The principal UK Government research in this area was the "Report of a Field Study of Aircraft Noise and Sleep Disturbance", published by the then Department of Transport in December 1992. This study, which followed earlier work based mainly on social surveys, focused mainly on objective disturbance to sleep rather than overall sleep deprivation, but was nevertheless able to conclude that: "Aircraft noise itself is most unlikely to increase sleep disturbance rates to the point at which after-effects upon health or performance would be noticeable" (p35) A smaller-scale methodology trial was conducted for the Department in 1999 by ISVR1 Southampton and others ("Aircraft Noise and Sleep-1999 UK Trial Methodology Study"--http://www.isvr.co.uk/environm/ sleep.htm). This included laboratory as well as field investigation. A review of research in this area was published on behalf of the then DETR in 2000 ("Adverse effects of night-time aircraft noise", NATS/DORA2 R&D Report 9964). This discussed potential deprivation effects including reduction in total sleep duration, reduction in slow-wave sleep and sleep-fragmentation, and consequential next-day effects; but was again unable to determine that such phenomena occurred to any significant extent due to aircraft noise, although it noted that: " . . . Nevertheless, the possibility of noise-induced sleep loss cannot be ruled out in the case of especially sensitive people." (p9, para 2.26) A summary of Government-sponsored research into aircraft noise and sleep disturbance is available on the DfT website: http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft aviation/documents/ page/dft aviation 503578.hcsp 1 Institute of Sound and Vibration Research. 2 National Air Traffic Services/Department of Operational Research and Analysis. The relevant division is now the Environment Research and Consultancy Department of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA/ERCD).

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

195201; 426 c10W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Aircraft Crew Night flying Safety Research Sleep

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk