7A: Sleep deprivation

What is sleep deprivation?

Inadequate quantity and/or quality of sleep necessary for optimal functioning.

What does sleep quantity refer to?

Total hours of sleep.

What does sleep quality refer to?

The depth and type of sleep (e.g., REM, deep NREM), and whether sleep is restorative or disrupted.

Can someone be sleep deprived even after 8 hours of sleep?

Yes, if the sleep lacks deep or REM stages, it may not be restorative.

What are the two types of sleep deprivation?

Full sleep deprivation and partial sleep deprivation.

What is full sleep deprivation?

No sleep at all in a 24-hour period (e.g., pulling an all-nighter).

What is partial sleep deprivation?

Inadequate sleep duration or quality (e.g., 4–5 hours, frequent waking).

Is partial sleep deprivation the same for everyone?

No, it’s subjective and varies by age, biology, and sleep history.

What are the affective effects of sleep deprivation?

Poor emotional regulation, mood swings, irritability, reduced empathy, anxiety, emotional blunting.

How does sleep deprivation affect emotional recognition?

Makes it harder to accurately perceive others’ emotions and respond appropriately.

What are the behavioural effects of sleep deprivation?

Daytime sleepiness, slower reaction times, poor coordination, increased risk-taking, reduced social interaction.

How does sleep deprivation affect motor skills?

Causes clumsiness, more accidents, and delayed reaction times.

What are the cognitive effects of sleep deprivation?

Poor concentration, short-term memory loss, slower thinking, impaired decision-making, irrational reasoning.

Which psychological functions are most impaired by sleep deprivation?

Affective (emotion), behavioural (actions), and cognitive (thinking).

What is BAC?

Blood Alcohol Concentration – the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream.

What does a BAC of 0.05 mean?

0.05 grams of alcohol per 100 mL of blood.

What did the Dawson & Reid (1997) study find?

17 hours of wakefulness impairs performance similar to a BAC of 0.05; 24 hours is similar to BAC 0.10.

How does sleep deprivation compare to alcohol intoxication?

Causes similar impairments in cognition, reaction time, and coordination.

What cognitive tasks are affected similarly by sleep loss and alcohol?

Reaction time, attention, reasoning, decision-making, and emotional responses.

What are the similarities in emotional effects between BAC and sleep deprivation?

Both cause mood instability, poor emotional control, and reduced empathy.

What real-life application shows these effects clearly?

Driving simulations show BAC 0.05 and 17-hour sleep deprivation cause similar driving errors.

What are long-term risks of chronic sleep deprivation?

Heart disease, obesity, diabetes, depression, anxiety, lowered immunity, hypertension.

How does chronic sleep deprivation affect mental health?

Increases risk of depression, anxiety, and emotional instability.

How does sleep deprivation impact the immune system?

Weakens immune response, making the body more susceptible to illness.

Why is reaction time important when considering sleep deprivation?

Slower reaction times increase the risk of accidents, especially in activities like driving.

How does sleep deprivation affect decision-making?

Leads to impulsivity, poor judgment, and irrational thinking.