Sleep deprivation Flashcards
How much sleep individuals need is influenced by…
- Age, babies tend to need more sleep than adults.
- Lifestyle, shift workers and level of activity.
- Genetics, females generally need more sleep than males.
Sleep deprivation
Going without sleep or not getting sufficient amounts of sleep to support optimal daytime functioning.
Partial sleep deprivation
Getting some sleep in a 24 hour period but it is less than what is normally required to support optimal daytime functioning.
Chronic sleep deprivation
Routinely sleeping less than normal required.
Physiological effects of sleep deprivation
- Fatigue
- Trembling hands
- Drooping eyelids
- Staring
- Slurred speech
- Lack of energy
- Headaches
- Increased pain sensitivity
Psychological effects of sleep deprivation
Cognition
*Affects working memory, attention, decision making, planning and problem solving.
Concentration
*Deteriorates with less sleep, have difficulty with simple repetitive tasks but more complex tasks are not as affected and are not found as difficult as simple things.
Mood
*Irritable, short tempered, impatient, increased negative mood.
R.E.M sleep
Important for brain development in early lifespan stages, it is a restorative exercise function of the brain to improve and preserve neural pathways.
R.E.M rebound
Studies have shown that following periods of interrupted R.E.M sleep participants spend more time in R.E.M to catch up.
N.R.E.M sleep loss
Interferes with the process of replenishing and restoring body tissues, recovering from fatigue etc.
Sleep debt
The accumulated amount of sleep loss from insufficient sleep.
A typical pattern of sleep recovery, following sleep deprivation is that you will…
*Fall asleep faster
*Major improvements in mood, cognitive performance and physiological functioning.
*Total time asleep is prolonged but does not need to make up total amount of sleep lost
(say you haven’t slept in 2 days you do not need to then sleep for 2 days straight)
*No long term effects.
