Tracing the Effects of Sleep Deprivation
April 2, 2007
A friend recently asked me exactly how long someone could go without sleeping. I did some investigating, and research shows that the effects of sleep deprivation are more psychological than physical. Reflexes are impaired but heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and body temperature show very little change. Hand tremors, droopy eyelids, problems focusing the eyes, and a heightened sensitivity to pain are most common.
The effects of sleep deprivation over time are as follows:
Night 1. Missing sleep one night is uncomfortable, but is certainly manageable for many.
Night 2. The urge to sleep is much stronger, particularly between 3-5 a.m., when the body temperature is at its lowest.
Night 3. Tasks requiring sustained attention and mental calculations become seriously impaired, especially if the task is repetitious and boring. Again, the early hours are the most crucial to needing sleep.
Night 4. From this night on, periods of micro-sleep occur. People stop what they are doing and stare into space for up to three seconds. The end of micro-sleep is accompanied by a return to full awareness. Confusion, irritability, misperception, and the ‘hat phenomenon’ occur. In this, a tightening around the head is felt as though a hat too small for the head is being worn.
Night 5. On top of the effects previously mentioned, delusions may be experienced. Intellectual and problem-solving abilities are largely unimpaired. Night 6. Symptoms of depersonalization occur and a clear sense of identity is lost. This is called sleep deprivation psychosis.