The Effectiveness and Enhancement of Sleep Deprivation as a Tool in Military Interrogations to Ensure Optimum Results and the Short-Term Psychological and Neurological Impact on the Prisoner
Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: 1 Sleep is a very important aspect of life. It affects the functionality of nearly every biological system in one way or another. Without sleep, people as well as animals would not operate at full efficiency. Loss of sleep can affect many things such as reaction time, physical performance, alertness, and the ability to perform complex cognitive tasks (Saletan, 2008). If these particular skills are impaired, it could lead to injury, or even death in the most extreme situation. In today’s society, prolonged wakefulness is a recurring problem. While the U.S. is constantly striving to move forward in all aspects, little time is left for its citizens to rest. Time normally allotted for sleeping is used instead for studying to pass the next test, working late to get the next promotion, struggling to climb the corporate ladder, or simply staying up late to party. Children are being pressured to perform better in school, lest they fall behind and miss life’s many opportunities. The constant global need to succeed, combined with the known problems associated with sleep deprivation, has drawn many researchers worldwide to the topic in one way or another. The field of military sleep research is of particular interest. Many countries are investing a growing number of resources into sleep studies, determining positive and negative effects and how to utilize research results to their full effectiveness. Soldiers in the heat of battle are rarely given a chance to rest, and many find themselves unable to sleep out of sheer paranoia. United States researchers are investigating ways to keep soldiers on the front line focused and aware even in extreme states of sleep deprivation, potentially saving thousands of lives. Consequently, sleep deprivation can also be utilized as what some would call “torture”. Forcing a prisoner to remain awake and alert for days at a time can have a dramatic effect on their cognitive ability, and may cause temporary increases in stress, depression, and hallucinations. If done correctly,
Author: Kevin W. Allison
Language: English
Topic: Torture, Ethics, and Law
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1583861759