SLEEP

The SLEEP Daytime Sleepiness test set measures performance impairments as a result of daytime sleepiness in a traffic psychology and traffic medicine context.

Daytime sleepiness and the resulting impairments in the workplace, in social situations or with regard to fitness to drive are a key symptom of many sleep disorders and illnesses (Weeß, 2004). Daytime sleepiness involves reduced alertness or reduced central nervous system arousal. Typical signs of increased daytime sleepiness include attentional disorders, falling asleep unintentionally and microsleep. The risk of falling asleep unintentionally is greatest in monotonous, low-stimulus situations, such as frequently occur when driving. The act of falling asleep can occur spontaneously and unexpectedly; it cannot be voluntarily suppressed. In traffic psychological and clinical neuropsychological reporting, therefore, professional drivers are often the focus of the investigation. However, increased daytime sleepiness also often occurs as a symptom of various physical and mental disorders. In the test set scoring all the trait areas are summarized in accordance with the Guidelines on Assessment of Fitness to Drive, providing the user with a concise overview of possible impairments of performance if the respondent is affected by daytime sleepiness.