Effects of sleep deprivation on daytime sleepiness in primary insomnia.

STUDY

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated changes in MSLT scores and recovery sleep following total sleep deprivation in subjects with insomnia as compared to normal sleepers.

DESIGN

Matched-groups design.

SETTING

A sleep disorders center in a large medical center.

PARTICIPANTS

Ten individuals with psychophysiological insomnia and ten age- and sex-matched normal sleepers served as subjects.

INTERVENTIONS: Subjects underwent total sleep deprivation after baseline polysomnography and MSLT. A post-deprivation MSLT was obtained, as well as polysomnography on the recovery night and an MSLT after the recovery night.

MEASUREMENTS AND

RESULTS

Both groups showed significant decreases in MSLT scores following total sleep deprivation, as compared to baseline. Both groups had significantly shorter scores on a nighttime MSLT compared to a daytime MSLT. The insomnia group also showed a significant increase in total sleep time on the recovery night compared to baseline.

CONCLUSIONS

The MSLT is sensitive to changes in sleepiness associated with total sleep deprivation in individuals with primary insomnia.