WRAIR's Behavioral Biology investigators develop knowledge products and materiel solutions to enhance Soldier alertness, decision-making, and performance in the context of degraded sleep quantity and quality across the spectrum of Army operations. 

It was believed that Soldiers operating in high-tempo, operational environments could operate effectively on four hours of sleep. Scientists have long understood the relationship between sleep loss and impaired performance, which makes insufficient sleep a significant threat to readiness and lethality. Yet, a full night's sleep is often not an option for Soldiers—especially those operating in combat environments. 

WRAIR attempts to understand and mitigate the relationship between sleep loss and Soldier performance using study data from field operations, specially designed human sleep research suites, and mathematical modeling and simulation tools. Behavioral Biology studies the utility of the WRAIR-discovered phenomenon of "sleep banking" against future sleep demand, models sleep and performance, maximizes the recuperative value of sleep, characterizes stimulants and sleep-inducing drugs, and studies chemical interventions for acute stress exposure.

A list of resources, fact sheets, checklists and more that have been contributed to or developed by Behavioral Biology can be found here.


 

Research Areas

Join a Study!

Wound Infection PhotoAre you interested in joining our research? Healthy volunteers are need for sleep studies! You will be compensated for your time and participation.

Join a Sleep Study!

Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation

Diarrheal Diseases PhotoThe Behavioral Biology branch’s Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) lab identifies neurobiological targets and pharmacological compounds that effectively promote behavioral, physiological, and emotional recovery from traumatic stress exposure. 

Sleep and Performance

MRSN PhotoIn order to optimize Soldier health and performance by minimizing the negative effects of operational sleep loss, WRAIR conducts sleep restriction and deprivation studies and evaluates countermeasures such as sleep banking.