Today more and more people face sleep deprivation, caused mostly by stress, lots of work and other factors. Here you find more about this subject and few strategies to overcome sleep deprivation.

1. SLEEP DEPRIVATION
Oana Gătej

2. CONTENT
 Definition
 Causes
 Risk Groups
 Effects
 Coping Strategies
 Symptoms and Case Studies
Conclusions

3. SLEEP DEPRIVATION -
DEFINITION
Sleep deprivation occurs when an individual fails to get enough
sleep.
The amount of sleep that a person needs varies from one person
to another, but on average most adults need about seven to
eight hours of sleep every night in order to feel well rested and
alert.

4. SLEEP DEPRIVATION - CAUSES
Voluntary Behavior
People who engage in voluntarily, but unintentional, chronical sleep
deprivation are classified as having a sleep disorder called behaviorally
induced insufficient sleep syndrome. This is a type of hypersomnia. It
involves a pattern of restricted sleep that is present almost daily for at
least three months.
Personal obligations
Sleep deprivation can occur when personal obligations restrict sleep time.
For example, a person may lose sleep while providing home care for a
relative with a chronic illness.
Work hours
The work hours required by some occupations can produce sleep
deprivation.
Medical problems

5. SLEEP DEPRIVATION – RISK
GROUPS
Males and females of all ages.
Adolescents, among whom restricted sleep times are common.
Caregivers, who look after the needs of a family member who has a
chronic illness.
People who perform shift works, who work multiple jobs, or who work in
a profession that has demanding work hours.
People who have a sleep disorder that causes insufficient sleep, such as
delayed sleep phase disorder, environmental sleep disorder,
psychophysiological insomnia, periodic limbic movements and restless
legs syndrome.
People who have a medical condition that causes insufficient sleep, such
as Parkinson`s disease.

6. SLEEP DEPRIVATION -
EFFECTS
The primary effect of sleep deprivation is excessive daytime
sleepiness
A sleep deprived person is likely to fall asleep when forced to sit
in a quiet or monotonous situation, such as during a meeting or
class
This degree of severe sleepiness can be a safety hazard, causing
drowsy driving or workplace injuries

7. SLEEP DEPRIVATION –
EFFECTS
Mood Performance Health (increased risk
of)
Irritability
Lack of motivation
Anxiety
Symptoms of depression
Lack of concentration
Attention deficits
Reduced vigilance
Longer reaction times
Distractibility
Lack of energy
Fatigue
Restlessness
Lack of coordination
Poor decision
Increased errors
Forgetfulness
High blood pressure
Heart attack
Obesity
Diabetes

8. SLEEP DEPRIVATION –
EFFECTS
Chronic insomnia may increase an individual's risk of developing a
mood disorder, such as depression or anxiety. In one major study of
10,000 adults, people with insomnia were five times more likely to
develop depression.(Neckelmann, D. et al., Chronic Insomnia as a Risk
Factor for Developing Anxiety and Depression, Sleep. 2007; 30 (7): 873-880)
Great sleep deprivation mimics psychosis: distorted perceptions can
lead to inappropriate emotional and behavioral responses
The specific causal relationships between sleep loss and effects on
psychiatric disorders have been most extensively studied in patients
with mood disorders. Shifts into mania in bipolar patients are often
preceded by periods of insomnia, and sleep deprivation has been
shown to induce a manic state in susceptible individuals. Sleep
deprivation may represent a final common pathway in the genesis of
mania, and sleep loss is both a precipitating and reinforcing factor for
the manic state.
"There's a big
relationship
between psychiatric
and psychological
problems and sleep.
So people who are
depressed or have
anxiety often have
trouble with sleep
as part of those
disorders," says Dr.
Lawrence Epstein,
Medical Director of
Sleep Health Centers
and an instructor at
Harvard Medical
School.

9. SLEEP DEPRIVATION – COPING
STRATEGIES
The only sure way for an individual to overcome sleep
deprivation is to increase the nightly sleep time to satisfy
his/her biological sleep need, there is no substitute for
sufficient sleep.

10. SLEEP DEPRIVATION – COPING
STRATEGIESShort-time strategies for reducing the sleep deprivation effects:
Caffeine It can provide improved alertness and performance at doses of 75 mg to
150 mg after acute sleep restriction
Sleep prior to
sleep
deprivation
Getting extra sleep before a period of sleep loss, known as ‘prophylactic
nap’, may decrease some of the alertness and performance effects
Naps during
deprivation
During the periods of sleep loss a brief nap of 30 minutes or less may
boost alertness
Caffeine and a
nap
The beneficial effects of naps and caffeine may be additive; the
combination of a nap prior to sleep deprivation with caffeine use during
sleep deprivation may provide improved alertness over a longer period.
Other
stimulants
In certain situations in which sleep will not be possible, treatment with
medications may become a necessity (should only be used under the
supervision of a licensed physician)

11. SYMPTOMS OBSERVED DURING CONSECUTIVE NIGHT OF SLEEP
DEPRIVATION IN HUMANS
Duration
of sleep
deprivatio
n
Symptoms
Night 1 Most people are capable of withstanding one-night sleep deprivation, although a slight discomfort may be
experienced. 24-h sleeplessness does not alter behaviour; however, tremor and increased tonus, leading to
impairment in precise movements, can be observed.
Night 2 A feeling of fatigue and a stronger need for sleep is persistent, especially between 3-5 a.m., when the body
temperature reaches its lowest value.
Night 3 Performing tasks that require concentration and calculating may be impaired, particularly if the tasks are dull and
repetitious. The volunteers become irritated and impolite in any instance of disagreement. During early-morning
hours, the subjects experience an overpowering need for sleep. Remaining wakeful is possible only with the help of
observers who wake the volunteers up if necessary.
Night 4 Prolonged microepisodes of sleep occur: the subjects discontinue their activities and stare into space; the delta waves
are recorded in the EEG output signal, even if the person is awake. Sleep microepisodes impair performance of the
tasks that require attention over a period of time. Subjects may also experience perception disorders, illusions,
hallucinations, irritation, inaccuracy and the “hat phenomenon” (a feeling of pressure around the head).
Night 5 The symptoms become more intense and include disturbances in reasoning and orientation, visual and tactile
hallucinations, fatigue, irritability and delusions. The subjects may exhibit distrust: suspecting that someone
attempts to murder them is a characteristic syndrome at this stage. Intellectual and problem-solving abilities are
considerably impaired.
Night 6 Participants develop symptoms of depersonalization and they are no longer capable of interpreting reality. This
syndrome is known as the sleep deprivation psycosis (very rarely persisting after the termination of the experiment; it

12. SLEEP DEPRIVATIONS –
WORLD RECORDSPeter Tripp – 201 h (1959)
The New York DJ, Peter Tripp, set a world record for sleep deprivation in 1959. He went
for 201 hours (8.4 days) without sleep. He spent most of the time in a glass booth in
Times Square, and the rest in a hotel room across the street, set up as a laboratory to
monitor his reactions.
The stunt produced strange results. After three days, Tripp began to find things hilarious
that weren't funny at all. At other times, he became upset for no reason. He was also
confused, asking why there were bolts in the window frames.
By day four, he was suffering from hallucinations and paranoia. At first they were simple
patterns - like cobwebs on the doctors' faces, or imagining that paint specks on the
table were insects.
But soon his hallucinations became 3D. Tripp imagined mice and kittens scurrying
around the room...
Eventually, Peter Tripp became psychotic. He rummaged through draws looking for non-
existent money. He accused a technician of trying to harm him. He then claimed he was
not Peter Tripp but an imposter. Nothing made sense to him.
On reaching his 200-hour target, Tripp was made to stay awake for one final hour while
doctors did more tests. They left the EEG in place as he finally closed his bloodshot eyes
and entered a deep 13-hour slumber.
He may have been physically restored, but Tripp's family soon noticed a difference in his
- Peter Tripp`s story – short
movie -

13. SLEEP DEPRIVATIONS –
WORLD RECORDSRandy Gardner – 260 h (1964)
Randy Gardner beat the world record for sleep deprivation at the age of 17. A typical high school
student from California, Gardner stayed awake for 264 hours (11 days) without using any
stimulants. His stunt was part of a school science project on sleep patterns.
The effects of sleep deprivation on Randy Gardner included moodiness, problems with
concentration and memory, paranoia and hallucinations. After four days, he had the delusion
that he was a famous American football player winning the Rose Bowl. He also mistook a street
sign for a person.
On the 11th day, he was asked to subtract seven repeatedly, starting from 100. He stopped
when he got to 65... and said he had forgotten what he was doing.
Yet later that day, Randy Gardner held a press conference where he spoke without slurring his
words and appeared to be in excellent health.
After his marathon, Gardner slept for nearly 15 hours and returned to a normal sleeping pattern
within days. Unlike Peter Tripp (who incidentally used stimulants to stay awake) there were no
reports of any long term personality changes.

14. SLEEP DEPRIVATION REDUCES PERCEIVED
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND
CONSTRUCTIVE THINKING SKILLS
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:
Insufficient sleep can adversely affect a variety of cognitive abilities, ranging from simple alertness to
higher-order executive functions. Although the effects of sleep loss on mood and cognition are well
documented, there have been no controlled studies examining its effects on perceived emotional
intelligence (EQ) and constructive thinking, abilities that require the integration of affect and cognition and
are central to adaptive functioning.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
Twenty-six healthy volunteers completed the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQi) and the
Constructive Thinking Inventory (CTI) at rested baseline and again after 55.5 and 58 h of continuous
wakefulness, respectively.
RESULTS:
Relative to baseline, sleep deprivation was associated with lower scores on Total EQ (decreased global
emotional intelligence), Intrapersonal functioning (reduced self-regard, assertiveness, sense of
independence, and self-actualization), Interpersonal functioning (reduced empathy toward others and
quality of interpersonal relationships), Stress Management skills (reduced impulse control and difficulty
with delay of gratification), and Behavioral Coping (reduced positive thinking and action orientation).
Esoteric Thinking (greater reliance on formal superstitions and magical thinking processes) was increased.
CONCLUSIONS:
These findings are consistent with the neurobehavioral model suggesting that sleep loss produces
temporary changes in cerebral metabolism, cognition, emotion, and behavior consistent with mild
prefrontal lobe dysfunction.

15. FACTS
When the pressure of work, alarm clocks, social schedules and
advanced technology is removed, people tend to sleep longer. Thus,
in many less industrialized societies, the total daily sleep time is still
around nine to 10 hours as it is for people when they are on
unstructured holidays (Coren, 1996).

16. FACTS
The sleep-debt-related problems are most predictable at certain times of
the day. This is because the efficiency of our physical and mental functions
show cyclic increases and decreases in the form of circadian rhythms.
While our major sleep/wakefulness rhythm has a cycle length of roughly 24
hours, there are shorter cycles as well, with the most important of these
being a secondary sleep/wakefulness cycle that is around 12 hours.
Because of these cycles, the pressure to fall asleep is greatest in the
morning, between 1 and 4 a.m. In addition there is a less pronounced, but
still noticeable, increase in sleepiness 12 hours later, between 1 and 4 p.m.
It is this afternoon low point that makes you feel sleepy after lunch, not the
meal that you may have just eaten. It probably also was the original reason
for the afternoon nap or siesta.

17. GOOD SLEEP ADVICES
Sleep doctors recommend a variety of measures to help adults and children achieve adequate sleep.
In general, all of these approaches are intended to help with relaxation as the desired sleep time
approaches, to maintain a comfortable sleep environment, and to encourage a healthful balance of
nutrition and exercise. Their recommendations include:
 maintaining a regular sleep-wake schedule
 avoiding caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and other chemicals that interfere with sleep
 making the bedroom a comfortable sleep environment
 establishing a calming pre-sleep routine
 going to sleep when one is truly tired
 not watching the clock at night
 using light to one`s advantage by exposing to light during the day and limiting light exposure in the
evening
 not napping too close to the regular bedtime
 eating and drinking enough—but not too much or too soon before bedtime
 exercising regularly—but not too soon before bedtime
If problems persist, one may wish to see a medical provider and ask about an evaluation for sleep problems
and mental health concerns.

18. THANK YOU!