text: Chapter 11
  Continuous (24-hour) Operations
  11-48. Continuous military operations are a mainstay of the Army. Soldiers must be prepared to conduct
  operations for extended periods with limited rest and sleep deprivation to accomplish the mission. Paragraphs
  11-49 through 11-54 describes proven techniques to mitigate the impact of continuous operations on Soldiers.
  Segregation of Soldiers by Shift
  11-49. Sleep and living areas for Soldiers should be segregated by the shifts worked. This minimizes sleep
  disruptions caused by waking activities of those working other shifts.
  Extra Time for Night Workers and Day Sleepers
  11-50. The circadian rhythm of alertness works against daytime sleep and nighttime alertness. Soldiers
  working a night shift typically require more time to successfully complete tasks because they work slower or
  less efficiently. These Soldiers also tend to accrue sleep debt faster than those working on normal day shifts.
  Extra Monitoring on the Night Shift
  11-51. Soldiers engaged in mission- and/or safety-critical tasks during the descending phase of the circadian
  rhythm of alertness (between 2300 and 0800) can benefit from enhanced oversight and monitoring. During
  these times, when Soldier alertness is compromised, there is an increased risk of lapses in attention and even
  brief, uncontrolled sleep episodes (microsleep).
  Off-duty Safety
  11-52. Following nighttime work, the morning commute back home can be a time of significantly increased
  risk. For example, ending staff duty or charge of quarters during the early morning hours (around 0700) can
  put sleep-deprived Soldiers behind the steering wheel at a point in the circadian rhythm of alertness when
  they are at greatest risk for vehicle accidents. Providing post-shift sleeping quarters, scheduling night shifts
  to end during the ascending phase of the circadian rhythm of alertness (after 0900 hours), or providing post-
  shift transportation home can help improve the safety of Soldiers working the night shift.
  De-conflicting Schedules
  11-53. Commands should schedule required briefings and dining facility availability so as to minimize
  potential conflicts with the daytime sleep of Soldiers on duty during the nighttime. No Soldier should have
  to choose between food and sleep.
  Sleep Prioritization
  11-54. The restorative effects of sleep accrue primarily to the brain and are primarily manifested as
  improved cognitive performance. Accordingly, it is especially important that leaders and others engaged in
  higher-order cognitive tasks—such as mission planning, decision making, risk assessment, and problem
  solving—are afforded and take full advantage of opportunities to obtain adequate sleep.
  INTERVENTIONS TO IMPROVE AND SUSTAIN READINESS
  11-55. Depending on the situation, leaders can implement certain interventions to sustain or improve
  Soldier readiness by limiting the causes of loss of alertness and results of sleep deprivation. Leaders can use
  many of these methods singularly or in combination with other interventions as practicable.
  NAPS
  11-56. When regular nighttime sleep is not possible due to mission requirements, Soldiers can use short,
  infrequent naps to restore wakefulness and promote performance. When routinely available sleep time is
  difficult to predict, Soldiers might take the longest nap possible as frequently as time is available. During
  periods of restricted sleep (6 hours of sleep or less per night), napping combined with appropriate doses of
  caffeine may help to sustain cognitive performance and alertness.