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Sleep loss an unknown factor in poor daytime performance

Written by: David Castillo on April 19th, 2011

Sleep loss an unknown factor in poor daytime performance | read this item

University of Pennsylvania Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory head David Dinges has the unique distinction of depriving the most number of people in than any other sleep doctor in the entire globe. His latest research endeavour involves people working in laboratories and how lack of sleep can affect their alertness while working.

Some of the conditions under which participants were subjected to are prohibitions on talking with lab mates, the use of bright lights and, of course, zero coffee. Results of the study revealed that sleep loss inevitably causes laboratory staff to lose their concentration and the ability to perform their tasks.

Perhaps the most significant finding of the study is that participants, despite their lack of concentration and inability to perform, clearly stated that they felt they were not affected by their lack of sleep. Thus, Dinges concludes that sleep is a huge unknown factor in most cases of poor performance during the day.