Napping Neurons Impair Performance in the Sleep-Deprived

A new study explains why sleep deprivation makes us irritable and impairs our ability to think clearly and make decisions. A team of sleep researchers in Wisconsin and Italy have discovered that parts of your brain may be nodding off while you remain awake. The study was conducted on lab rats, but the findings likely apply to humans. An EEG was used to measure the brain waves of rats as they were kept awake four hours past their usual bedtimes.

Readings show that local populations of neurons in the brain’s cortex went silent in a seemingly random pattern as the rats remained awake. The brain patterns in these select neurons resembled slow wave or non-REM sleep. The rats’ overall EEG readings as well as their behavioral appeared no different than well-rested rats.

Researchers did notice that the rats performed progressively worse at a task that involved locating a sugar pellet. If neurons in the motor cortex switched off as the rats reached for the pellet, they were about 37 percent more likely to fail the task.

The authors of the study caution that the rats were in a state that was different than microsleeps, or very brief episodes of sleep in a sleep-deprived but otherwise awake person.

Obama White House: No Time for Sleep?

An important speech in Russia on Tuesday. The G-8 Summit in Italy on Wednesday. A visit to the Vatican in Rome on Friday. Another speech in Ghana on Saturday. Back to the White House to introduce the nominee for the U.S. Surgeon General yesterday.

Keeping up with President Obama is no easy task. It requires a pace that often leaves little time for White House staffers to sleep, the Washington Post reports.

The long days may come with the territory. But the need for sleep won’t go away.

“You have your coffee at five in the afternoon, and it just doesn't do anything," press secretary Robert Gibbs told the Post. "Because you realize you're so far behind [in sleep] that a jolt -- you don't even feel it."

Administration officials insist that adrenaline keeps them going. But sometimes the exhaustion is too hard to hide: Economic adviser Larry Summers was seen snoozing during a meeting in April.

But after six months in office, maybe White House staffers have trained their bodies to get by on less sleep. Does the body adapt to a schedule of restricted sleep?

A 2002 study in the journal Sleep put this question to the test. It examined the effects of “chronic sleep restriction.”

Participants slept for either 4 hours, 6 hours or 8 hours per night. They maintained this schedule for 14 days. Effects were compared with three nights of total sleep deprivation.

Results show that chronic restriction of sleep periods to 4 hours or 6 hours per night resulted in significant deficits in cognitive performance. The effects of sleep restriction were similar to those of up to two nights of total sleep deprivation.

So did participants adapt to the effects of sleep restriction? Not at all: Performance “progressively eroded.” It got worse over time, not better.

And participants didn’t seem to notice. Results suggest that they were largely unaware of these cognitive deficits.

“Claims that humans adapt to chronic sleep restriction within a few days…are not supported by the present findings,” the authors concluded. “It appears that even relatively moderate sleep restriction can seriously impair waking neurobehavioral functions in healthy adults.”

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Untreated Sleep Apnea Affects Job Performance

Two new studies show that untreated obstructive sleep apnea can have a negative impact on job performance.

A study in the June 1 issue of the journal Sleep involved 150 people; they were all referred to a sleep center in California for suspected sleep apnea. Their average age was 44 years; each of them was employed at the time of the study.

An overnight sleep study confirmed the presence of sleep apnea in 83 of the participants. Results show that work productivity suffered when people had sleep apnea and excessive daytime sleepiness.

They were almost 14 times more likely to have had job-performance problems in the past four weeks. Examples include falling asleep on the job or missing a day of work. They also were more likely to report decreased job effectiveness.

Results also show that people with OSA and EDS were almost four times more likely to have had their work duty modified in the past five years. Examples include taking a pay cut or missing a promotion. Other examples include changing jobs or a job schedule.

Another new study involved 957 people in Finland who were diagnosed with OSA; they were compared with 4,785 people who did not have sleep apnea.

Results show that the risk of lost work days was increased by 61 percent in men with OSA; it was increased by 80 percent in women with sleep apnea.

In women this risk was already increased five years before they were diagnosed; in men the highest risk appeared one year before the year of their diagnosis.

It is estimated that about 80 percent of men and 90 percent of women with moderate to severe sleep apnea are undiagnosed. Are you one of these people?

You can find out with an overnight sleep study. Contact an AASM-accredited sleep center near you for help.

On SleepEducation.com you can learn more about how a sleep study may be your best investment for long-term health. You also can answer these questions to learn more about your risk for sleep apnea.

Drowsy Sailing: Sleep Deprivation & the U.S. Navy Port Royal Accident

The Honolulu Advertiser reports that sleep loss and fatigue may have been factors in the Feb. 5 grounding of the USS Port Royal, a guided-missile cruiser.

The ship’s captain told the Navy Safety Investigation Board that he was tired when the ship got under way. He got less than five hours of sleep in the previous 24 hours; in the three days leading up to the incident he slept for a total of only 15 hours.

The ship ran aground in shallow waters off the coast of Honolulu. The 9,600-ton cruiser remained stuck for days before efforts to free the ship were successful. The AP reports that the accident caused an estimated $25 million to $40 million in damage to the $1 billion Port Royal.

In April the Sleep Education Blog reported that the U.S. Navy has been paying attention to sleep. There is concern that sleep deprivation can increase mistakes and accidents.

The National Transportation Safety Board also is concerned about safety on the open seas. For years the NTSB has sought to reduce marine accidents caused by human fatigue.

The NTSB is advocating for work-hour limits for mariners based on fatigue research and sleep needs. This was added to the NTSB’s “most wanted” list of safety improvements in 1999. But the NTSB reports that the U.S. Coast Guard has not taken action to address this issue.

Sleep deprivation also may have been a factor in the famous grounding of another ship – the Exxon Valdez. The oil tanker ran aground on March 24, 1989. About 11 million gallons of oil were spilled into Alaska’s Prince William Sound.

The Alaska Oil Spill Commission published a final report on the incident in 1990. It states that the ship’s third mate failed to maneuver the vessel properly.

The mistake may have been caused by fatigue; testimony suggests that he may have been awake and at work for up to 18 hours before the accident.

“It is conceivable that excessive work hours (sleep deprivation) contributed to an overall impact of fatigue, which in turn contributed to the Exxon Valdez grounding," the report concluded.

Image by the U.S. Navy

Unable to Sleep, Unable to Work: Insomnia & Disability

How you sleep - or don't sleep - can affect how you work. Studies show that insomnia can have a negative impact on the workplace.

It can result in decreased productivity. It also can increase absences from work.

Now a new study from Norway suggests that insomnia can even increase the risk of long-term work disability.

The study involved 6,599 working adults. They were between 40 and 45 years of age.

Results show that insomnia was a strong predictor of permanent work disability. After controlling for other factors, people with insomnia were almost two times more likely to receive disability pension.

The same research team found similar results in a 2008 study. It appeared in the journal Sleep. That study involved 37,302 adults. They were between the ages of 20 and 66. Again, insomnia was associated with increased odds of receiving disability pension.

In Norway you can quality for disability if your earning ability is impaired by at least 50 percent. The U.S. Social Security Administration has a stricter definition of disability.

Social Security only pays for total disability. Five questions determine if you qualify. Learn more about disability benefits from the SSA.

About 10 percent of adults have chronic insomnia that lasts for more than a month. You can get help for chronic insomnia at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.

Learn more about job stress and insomnia.

To Sleep or To Wake: A Drowsy Driving Dilemma

Today Boston Globe writer Geoff Edgers shares some interesting insights from his recent episode of drowsy driving.

It wasn’t quite a near-death experience. But it was enough to destroy his tire. And put a scare into the friend who was riding with him.

It also caused him to question his priorities. Where exactly is sleep supposed to fit in his busy schedule? It seems like the need for sleep is a frustrating nuisance that prevents him from getting more done.

One of Edgers’ main complaints is that he feels like he doesn’t have time to sleep. In a competitive workplace he can’t get by on talent alone. He has to put in more time than the next person.

On top of that there are other obligations that demand his time. Family. Hobbies. Other projects.

Is it worth it to cut back on something he values just so he can get more sleep? Is it true that getting more sleep will actually enable him to get more done?

Two sleep specialists provide their perspective on Edgers’ dilemma. Their consensus: Sleep is the solution, not the problem.

Not only is Edgers playing Russian roulette with his life by drowsy driving. But he’s also less efficient during the day because he’s sleep deprived.

He needs to practice self-control to get the seven to eight hours of sleep that he needs. A full night of sleep? In the end, Edgers wonders what that would feel like.

Can you relate to Edgers? How do you balance all of the demands on your time with your need for sleep? Is it simply a matter of self-control? When you have to make a choice, does sleep come out on the losing end?

Sleeping on the Job Proves Costly

ABC News reports that a nuclear power plant was fined $65,000 because security workers were caught sleeping on the job.

Video images of sleeping guards were recorded by a fellow guard at different times of day. A federal investigator also discovered a guard sleeping at his post.

The incidents occurred at the Peach Bottom Nuclear Plant just outside of Philadelphia. The guards are responsible for protecting the plant from a terrorist attack.

Falling asleep on the job is a clear sign of severe sleep deprivation. This is common when security guards work more than one job.

Excessive daytime sleepiness can be a sign of another sleep disorder. These include obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome and narcolepsy.

Sleepiness on the job also is a common sign of shift work disorder. The problem can be severe for people who work rotating shifts or night shifts. This forces them to be alert at a time when the body is normally asleep.

Then they have to try to sleep during the day. Daytime distractions can make this difficult. In a recent study of 163 nurses, more than 70 percent of the nurses report that they are unable to get enough sleep.

A recent study in the journal Sleep reports that night-shift workers can benefit from a realistic but strict sleep schedule. It helps them remain alert during the night shift and allows them to stay awake during the day on days off.

Subjects slept in dark bedrooms at scheduled times: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. after the first two night shifts. From 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. after the third night shift. From 3 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the two weekend days off. And again from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. after the final four night shifts.

They also were exposed to five, 15-minute sessions of bright light therapy each night shift. Within two hours after waking up, they went outside for at least 15 minutes of natural light exposure. But they wore dark sunglasses whenever they were outside.

The schedule enabled them to perform well at work and sleep well at home. Contact an AASM-accredited sleep center if you are sleeping on the job or struggling with a shift-work schedule.