Sleep Loss, Daytime Sleepiness, and Neurobehavioral Performance among Adolescents: A Field Study
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: The current study investigates the impact of sleep loss on neurobehavioral functioning and sleepiness in a natural setting among healthy adolescents. Fifty-nine adolescents (32 females) from grades 7 to 12 (mean age of 16.29 ± 1.86 years) participated in the study. All participants wore the actigraph for a continuous five to seven days, including school and nonschool days. Subjective sleepiness and neurobehavioral performance (using the psychomotor vigilance test and the digit symbol substitution test) were measured three times a day on two school days and one nonschool day. The results presented that sleep loss influenced subjective sleepiness reports, showing higher sleepiness scores following sleep loss than following sufficient night sleep. Neurobehavioral functioning across all measurements was also significantly worse following sleep loss. Furthermore, participants performed worse on weekday morning assessments than on assessments at other times of the day following sleep loss. These findings suggest that sleep loss in natural settings has a significant impact on neurobehavioral performance and subjective sleepiness. Our findings have essential implications for public policy on school schedules.
Source: Clocks & Sleep
Authors: Tzischinsky Orna, Barel Efrat
Institution: The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,256
OpenAlex ID: W4221027142