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Losing just one night's sleep makes brain prone to 'sudden shutdowns'
Last updated at 08:14am on 21.05.08
Losing just one night sleep can cause the brain to experience 'power failures' according to research
Being deprived of sleep even for one night makes the brain unstable and prone to sudden shutdowns akin to a power failure - brief lapses that hover between sleep and wakefulness, according to researchers.
"It's as though it is both asleep and awake and they are switching between each other very rapidly," said David Dinges of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, whose study appears in the Journal of Neuroscience.
"Imagine you are sitting in a room watching a movie with the lights on. In a stable brain, the lights stay on all the time. In a sleepy brain, the lights suddenly go off," Dinges said.
The findings suggest that people who are sleep-deprived alternate between periods of near-normal brain function and dramatic lapses in attention and visual processing.
"This involves more structures changing than we've ever seen before, but changing just during these lapses," Dinges said.
He and colleagues did brain imaging studies on 24 adults who performed simple tasks involving visual attention when they were well rested and when they had missed a night's sleep.
The researchers used a type of brain imaging known as functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, which measures blood flow in the brain.
They found significant, momentary lapses in several areas of the brain, which seemed to frequently falter when the people were deprived of sleep, but not when these same people were well rested.
"These people are not lying in bed. They are sitting up doing a task they learned and they are working very hard at doing their best," Dinges said.
He said the lapses seem to suggest that loss of sleep renders the brain incapable of fully fending off the involuntary drive to sleep.
He said the study makes it clear how dangerous sleep deprivation can be while driving on the highway, when even a four-second lapse could lead to a major accident.
"These are not just academic interests," he said.
Reader views (22)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
I can agree with Kevin, sometimes when I work at night I am more awake and concentrated than at day. Too much sleep makes you lazy.
- J., europe
C'mon, seriously?! You spent time and money to find out that sleepy people tend to "nod off". This had to be government funded.
- Tim Boston, Hastings Mn USA
I am a surgery resident. I often have lapses of conciousness that lead to serious medical mistakes. I am lucky that my hospital limits our work hours to 72 hours, but feel bad for the poor people that come in at the end of my shift.
- Claude, Alexandria, VA
As a long time journalist and publishing veteran, I don't find this to be true whatsoever. There have been many times when a night's sleep was not possible in the interest of getting out the news on time and I've felt quite the opposite to what's written here, in fact. Kind of makes one sharper, I've always felt. Too much sleep keeps you down too much, I think.
To each it's own.
- Kevin Kushel, New York, NY
I'm sorry what did you say, I wasn't paying attention.I'm going to take a nap.
- Steve, usa
Whatever. One thing would be helpful from these "experts". They could concentrate on steps that can help the sleep zombie feel better in the mornings after walking the floors and circling the bed sheets all night long. We all know what sleep deprivation is by now. That's elementary. Now give us some real news. This am after 3 hours sleep my coffee tastes like last week's old grounds, my legs are bending at the knees and my small son would like to know why I appear stone deaf to his questions..
- Elizabeth, California USA
I fell into a coma reading the comments.
- Stephen Ventura, Port Orchard, WA
"loss of sleep renders the brain incapable of fully fending off the involuntary drive to sleep."
So let me get this straight, in English: if you don't sleep, it becomes more difficult to avoid sleepiness.
Really? Hope they didn't spend too much for this study.
- Steven Bowler, Harlingen, Texas, USA
Some people have serious sleeping disorders. It is not like the average or even the majority of people sit on their xbox or playstation all day and night. They have legitimate stress contributing to their sleep patterns in a negative way.
JB from San Antonio has a very narrow view of this type of thing. I am sure there are those who could sleep more and choose not to, but I am one of those who sits in bed counting sheep to no avail. Hopefully I can solve my problem soon.
- Chance, Mesa, AZ USA
I'm a little unsure of just what the results show. If you miss a night's sleep you are then tired and sleepy. And if you are well rested then you are alert. Hmm...I say more research is needed!
- Peter, warwick,NY USA
As a former insomniac, let me just say, "duh" and "I hope you didn't spend money to 'figure this out.'" You could have just asked someone who hasn't slept in days/weeks how they feel and what they experience on a minute-by-minute basis without getting MD/PhDs involved.
People with acute sleep deprivation and a modest amount of self awareness could also describe the degree to which their vision and hearing fade, or their sense of touch becomes polarized. For instance, the black and white fringe of peripheral vision expands in fluid waves of color-failure; auditory stimulus becomes distant and tinny as through a tunnel; and physical sensation becomes either accentuated or unnoticeable as the nerves cease functioning properly. Plus deja vu occurs more frequently due to a lack of oxygen to the brain combined with those ground-breaking "blackouts" these scientists discovered.
Yet another waste of resources and scientific brain-power.
- Cr, Hartford, CT USA
So this would suggest that interrogation techniques that deprive prisoners of sleep are a complete waste of time -- me thinks of another addition to Monty Python's fabulous CD "Complete Waste of Time".
- Robert Kelly, Stafford, VA
No wonder shift workers die earlier.
- Fa, Long Island, New York
If that's all true, I'm doomed.
- Mjrm, NYC, USA
Poorly defined, what is "deprived of sleep" - 10 minutes or all night?
- Dc, Richland US
Now why didn't I think of that. More sleep more alert.
- Jb, San Antonio USA
My wife sustained a concussion that significantly impacted her ability to sleep. We know so little about sleep although we spend 1/3 of our lives doing it and it is absolutely critical to our heath both emotional and physical. Somnology is worth the R and D investment.
- Jerry, Bozeman MT, USA
Truck drivers wake up. Get some sleep. Also makes me wonder why so many fire departments work on-duty shifts of 24 hours. A sleep deprived fireman could lose his life over a 4 second lapse.
- Ronomundo, Port Angeles, Washington, USA
Forget driving on the highway... how about all of those doctors in training who've been up for at least 24 hours when you come to see them for a medical problem or surgery!
- C Abbott, M.D., Pasadena, CA
Duh! What universe are these researchers living in? Talk about your sleep deprivation...
- Brian Terrell, United States
Um...what was the article about again? I keep loosing focus.
- David Perkins, Washington, MO
Any link to diabetics?
- Neo, Philadelphia USA
