Effects of Sleep Duration on Reaction Time: A Mini-Review

Abstract

Introduction Understanding and creating the conditions and environment where performance optimization can occur is one goal of most athletes , coaches, and leaders [2]. While it is difficult to isolate variables and understand the impact each can have on performance, research that does so is important for advancing the understanding of the human body and its limits. One variable known to affect decision-making and performance is sleep. As a necessary bodily function, many sleep studies compare sleep duration to overall performance in some area [2]. In a study conducted to determine the influence of sleep quality and duration on school performance, researchers found that sleep quality and sleep duration had significant impacts on school performance [3]. While studies like this one are important in determining the overall effect of sleep on performance , studies that look at metrics of performance, such as reaction time, can be more useful in understanding the specific effects sleep duration and sleep deprivation can have. Taheri et al. [2] sought to understand the effect of sleep deprivation on choice reaction time and anaerobic power. The researchers took baseline measurements from 18 collegiate athletes and had each perform a Wingate test on the cycle ergometer to test anaerobic power. In addition, subjects also performed a manual, two-choice reaction task on the computer to test choice reaction time. Both tests were performed after a normal night's sleep and again after 24-hour sleep deprivation. The results show that the peak power of the subjects after sleep deprivation (8.3±1.6w.kg-1) was not significantly changed from the baseline (7.9±1.3w.kg-1 ; p=0.3).Statistical analysis of the choice reaction time results found that the mean choice reaction time of subjects exposed to sleep deprivation (281.65±31ms) was significantly slower than the baseline mean reaction time (244±39ms; p=0.003) [2]. Similar findings came from another study that examined the effect of sleep deprivation on cognitive and physical performance in college students [4]. This study required subjects to perform a cog-nitive function test on a mobile application that focused on working memory; a physical function test consisting of sub maximal car-diopulmonary exercise testing, and reaction time tests including the ruler drop test and computerized assessments. One group was allowed to get uninterrupted sleep while the other was instructed to refrain from sleeping and using any stimulants the night before. The researchers found that sleep deprivation had no significant Abstract Background and Purpose: Sleep deprivation is often shown to lead to significantly slower reaction time performance [1]. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects that sleep duration has on reaction time.