Chapter 5 - Sleep Deprivation

Question 1

Factors affecting how much sleep we need

Answer 1

• Age (i.e. teenagers need more sleep than adults)
• Lifestyle (i.e. leading an active vs. inactive life)
• Genetics

Question 2

Our Sleep/Wake cycle

Answer 2

This regular cycle, an example of a circadian rhythm, is determined by an internal body clock (the suprachiasmatic nucleus [SCN], located in the hypothalamus in the brain).

Our sleep/wake cycle actually runs closer to 24.2 hrs.

Question 3

Types of sleep deprivation

Answer 3

Sleep deprivation, not getting the amount of sleep you need, involves partial or total loss of sleep.

Partial sleep deprivation is having some sleep in a 24-hour period but not getting enough to meet your needs.

Total sleep deprivation is going without sleep for an entire 24-hour period, for one night or for several nights.

Question 4

Psychological effects of sleep deprivation

Answer 4

Psychological Effects

• Cognitive Difficulties
  
  • difficulty paying attention/concentrating
  • difficulty processing information
  • difficulty thinking
  • memory problems
  • impaired creativity
• Affective (feelings) disturbances
  
  • mood disturbances
  • lack of motivation
  • feelings of fatigue
• Behavioural Difficulties
  
  • slowed performance
  • clumsiness
  • risk-taking behaviour

Question 5

Physiological effects of sleep deprivation

Answer 5

• slower physical reflexes
• hand tremors
• droopy eyelids
• difficulty focusing eyes
• a heightened sensitivity to pain
• headaches
• lower energy levels

Question 6

Conditions linked to sleep deprivation

Answer 6

• Depression
• Hypertension
• Heart Disease
• Obesity
• Anxiety Disorders
• Diabetes
• Heartburn
• Insomnia

Question 7

Lack of REM sleep is linked with what?

Answer 7

Lack of REM sleep has been linked with:

• Learning problems as REM sleep has been linked with the consolidation of memories.
• REM sleep interrupts the release of some neurotransmitters and this might allow the brain receptors to recover and become more sensitive to their release after a break.

Question 8

Can you recover from sleep deprivation?

Answer 8

Yes! Most people fully recover quickly from even days of total sleep deprivation. You also don’t need to recover an equal amount of sleep to what was lost.

Question 9

What is sleep debt?

Answer 9

The accumulated amount of sleep loss from insufficient sleep.

Question 10

What is REM Rebound?

Answer 10

When we sleep after being deprived of REM sleep, we experience a significantly larger amount of time in REM sleep.

Question 11

What are Microsleeps?

Answer 11

A brief, involuntary period of sleep in the midst of a wakeful activity.

Usually last 3-15 seconds.

Question 12

Adolescent sleep/wake cycle

Answer 12

• Delayed onset of sleep
• The need for more sleep (9-10 hours sleep per night) than an adult

Question 13

What is Melatonin?

Answer 13

Melatonin is a hormone that causes sleepiness in humans. It is secreted by the pineal gland, a small structure in the brain, when it is dark.

Question 14

Tips for getting a better nights sleep?

Answer 14

• Follow a regular routine
• Avoid staying up too late on weekends
• Avoid stimulating activities just before bedtime
• Avoid caffeinated products after 3PM

Question 15

Effects of sleep deprivation

Answer 15

Nights without sleep

• 1 Night - Discomfort felt but is tolerable
• 2 Nights - Urge to sleep (especially between 2 and 4AM)
• 3 Nights - Tasks requiring concentration are seriously impaired especially if they are simple, repetitive or boring.
• 4 Nights - Periods of microsleeps are unavoidable. Person becomes irritable and confused.
• 5 Nights - Still irritable and confused. May become delusional
• 6 Nights - They may be depersonalisation, with a loss of sense of personal identity and increased difficulty coping with other people and the environment. This is referred to as ‘sleep deprivation psychosis’.