Don't choose until you sleep well: Studying cognition and sleep

A recent study highlights the significance of sleep for cognitive abilities and emotional well-being, especially for those facing high-stress situations.

The research suggests that people should avoid making crucial decisions after a night without adequate sleep.

Let's find out more about how lack of sleep affects you.

Sleep is crucial

The significance of sleep in regulating human health and cognition is well-known, with numerous studies showing its impact on neurocognitive functions such as attention, motor responses, inhibition control, and working memory.

Despite this understanding, sleep loss remains a public health challenge affecting individuals of all ages.

The research shows that just one night of no sleep significantly decreased brain performance in response to both winning and losing outcomes during decision-making processes, indicating a dampening effect on neural responses.

Why it's important

The results highlight how lack of sleep can affect emotions, indicating that individuals who experience just one night of sleep deprivation may show less enthusiasm when they win and feel less upset when facing losses.

This research underscores the critical role of ensuring sufficient sleep, particularly for decision-makers in professions where they often work with accumulated sleep loss.

It suggests the necessity of specialized training or fatigue risk management to enable them to navigate such situations more effectively.

Previously, we talked about Asperger's syndrome.

• Related news:
• research
• sleep patterns
• decisions
• cognitive skills
• brain
• 17 December 2023

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