Topic > Effects of Sleep Deprivation - 542

Sleep deprivation (SD) is a common phenomenon experienced by many individuals in different professions. [3] These professions include healthcare, security, and drivers who work at night. [1] The average length of sleep an individual needs is between 7 and 8.5 hours per day. [cited in 1] However, this varies between individuals of different ages and genders. Pilcher and Huffcutt found that both full and partial SD have negative effects on human functioning. [2] Researchers have concluded that sleep deprivation affects an individual's cognitive performance [1,2], motor performance, and mood. [2]One of the effects studied is the decrease in cognitive performance. Deteriorations in cognitive performance can be seen through decreased attention and alertness. [1,2] This is because prolonged wakefulness affects the functioning of the frontal lobes. [1] Similarly, Maddox et al [3] also agree that the function of the prefrontal cortex affects cognitive performance, but pointed out that the tasks to be completed also involve other regions of the brain. Therefore, it is difficult...