The effects of 72 hours of sleep loss on psychological variables

Abstract

A study was conducted on the effects of 72 hours of sleep loss and modified continuous operations on performance and psychological variables. This paper presents the results of self-report data of 12 subjects for the following psychological variables: sleepiness, affect, motivation, cognitive difficulties, and waking dreams. The relationship between the self-report measures and performance in a visual search and memory task is also examined. Most of the psychological variables are significantly affected by the number of days of sleep deprivation, all are significantly affected by hour of day; but only sleepiness, affect and motivation are also significantly affected by the interaction between these variables. The peak hours for self-reported psychological complaints are generally between 0400 and 0800, while the lowest number of complaints are usually reported in the afternoon/early evening, between 1600 and 2000. In addition, the results showed that (a) the amplitude of the circadian component of the psychological data increased over the period of sleep loss, and (b) psychological data were more highly correlated with a measure of general performance than with accuracy. The mechanisms of sleep deprivation underlying its effects on psychological and performance measures are discussed.

Hormone Treatment Gives No Benefit Against Cognitive Changes Caused by Acute Sleep Deprivation in Postmenopausal Women

“…For our subjects, the most demanding hours with respect to alertness were in the early morning. The same has been reported in previous studies as well (Babkoff et al, 1991;Mikulincer et al, 1989).…”

The role of activation in the effect of total sleep deprivation on depressed mood

“…In addition, strong circadian oscillations are observed throughout the entire TSD period. Diverse studies have found these same results (Angus et al, 1985;Brendel et al, 1990;Dinges et al, 1997;McCann et al, 1992McCann et al, , 1993Mikulincer et al, 1989;Wilhelm, Wilhelm, Ludtke, Streicher, & Adler, 1998). An increase in sleepiness, such as we found, is common among normal subjects following sleep deprivation, as well as among depressive subjects, while not being related to the sleep-deprivation antidepressant effect.…”

“…Habitually, decreases in activation, vigor, and vigilance, and increases in fatigue, sleepiness, anxiety, confusion/daze, irritability, and other signs of increasing disturbances following sleep deprivation have been reported (Brendel et al, 1990;Cutler & Cohen, 1979;Dinges et al, 1997;Gillberg & Akerstedt, 1981;Hill, Welch, & Godfrey, 1996;Mikulincer, Babkoff, Caspy, & Sing, 1989;Reynolds et al, 1986). In any case, the majority of these studies tend to conclude with a report concerning the global effect of sleep deprivation on these variables.…”

Parámetros subjetivos de sueño y estado de ánimo disfórico

“…Por ejemplo, la comparación del sueño de los jóvenes de 1963 con los de 1910-1911 mostraba una reducción del tiempo total de sueño de aproximadamente una hora y media, lo que sugiere que tendemos a perder horas de sueño por el actual estilo de vida (Carskadon, 1993). Por otra parte, diversos estudios han señalado los efectos perjudiciales de la privación de sueño en diversas medidas del estado de ánimo (Blagrove y Akehurst, 2001;Brendel et al, 1990;Beutler, Cano, Miró y Buela-Casal, 2003;Cano, Miró y Buela-Casal, 2001;Cutler y Cohén, 1979;Gillberg y Akerstedt, 1981;Hill et al, 1996;Mikulincer et al, 1989;Miró, Cano, Espinosa y Buela-Casal, 2002b;Reynolds et ai, 1986).…”

“…Generalmente estos estudios coinciden en señalar que este tipo de manipulaciones del sueño suelen producir efectos perjudiciales en un amplio rango de variables asociadas al bienestar psicológico. Por ejemplo, la privación de sueño produce generalmente un decremento en activación, vigor y vigilancia y un incremento en fatiga, somnolencia, ansiedad, confusión e irritabilidad (Brendel et al, 1990;Cutler y Cohén, 1979;Gillberg y Akerstedt, 1981;Hill, Welch y Godfrey, 1996;Leproult et al, 2003;Mikulincer, Babkoff, Caspy y Sing, 1989;Miró, Cano y Buela-Casal, 2002a;Reynolds etal., 1986).…”