Sleep deprived and sweating it out: the effects of total sleep deprivation on skin conductance reactivity to psychosocial stress
Sleep, 2015•academic.oup.com
Abstract Study Objectives: We examined how sleep deprivation alters physiological
responses to psychosocial stress by evaluating changes in skin conductance. Design:
Between-subjects design with one group allocated to 24 h of total sleep deprivation and the
other to rested wakefulness. Setting: The study took place in a research laboratory.
Participants: Participants were 40 healthy young adults recruited from a university.
Interventions: Sleep deprivation and feedback. Measurements and Results: Electrodermal�…
responses to psychosocial stress by evaluating changes in skin conductance. Design:
Between-subjects design with one group allocated to 24 h of total sleep deprivation and the
other to rested wakefulness. Setting: The study took place in a research laboratory.
Participants: Participants were 40 healthy young adults recruited from a university.
Interventions: Sleep deprivation and feedback. Measurements and Results: Electrodermal�…
Study Objectives
We examined how sleep deprivation alters physiological responses to psychosocial stress by evaluating changes in skin conductance.
Design
Between-subjects design with one group allocated to 24 h of total sleep deprivation and the other to rested wakefulness.
Setting
The study took place in a research laboratory.
Participants
Participants were 40 healthy young adults recruited from a university.
Interventions
Sleep deprivation and feedback.
Measurements and Results
Electrodermal activity was monitored while participants completed a difficult perceptual task with false feedback. All participants showed increased skin conductance levels following stress. However, compared to well-rested participants, sleep deprived participants showed higher skin conductance reactivity with increasing stress levels.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that sleep deprivation augments allostatic responses to increasing psychosocial stress. Consequentially, we propose sleep loss as a risk factor that can influence the pathogenic effects of stress.
Oxford University Press