What are the signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation?
They can vary from one person to another. And in fact, some people are quite significantly impaired by little sleep deprivation, whereas others are quite tolerant to large amounts of sleep deprivation. Probably the most consistent finding relates to what your sleep needs are on a daily basis. For instance, if people find themselves falling asleep before their normal bedtime, that’s a sign that they might be sleep deprived. If they have difficulty arising in the morning for instance, they have to activate their snooze alarm and are continually oversleeping in terms of their designated waking time in the morning, that’s also an indicator that they might be sleep deprived. Finally, if people sleep in on the weekends, which is termed rescue sleep, that’s another indicator they might be sleep deprived. Dr. Meir Kryger, professor of medicine, University of Manitoba, and director, Sleep Disorders Centre, St. Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba What is known about sleep and its effec
