What effect do stimulants have on sleep?

What effect do stimulants have on sleep?

• A. Increases SE and TST
• B. Decreases sleep latency
• C. Decreases SE, TST, SWS, REM
• D. Increases N2 sleep spindles

Answer: (C)

Stimulants raise brain arousal and boost catecholamine activity, making it harder for sleep to occur and to be maintained. This leads to less time spent asleep in the time available (lower sleep efficiency) and often a shorter overall sleep period (reduced total sleep time). They also blunt the deeper, restorative stages of sleep and disrupt dreaming, so slow-wave sleep and REM sleep are diminished. The combination of reduced sleep efficiency, shorter sleep time, and loss of SWS and REM best captures the typical sleep-disruptive effect of stimulants. The idea of a reliable increase in N2 sleep spindles isn’t a characteristic effect of stimulants.

Stimulants raise brain arousal and boost catecholamine activity, making it harder for sleep to occur and to be maintained. This leads to less time spent asleep in the time available (lower sleep efficiency) and often a shorter overall sleep period (reduced total sleep time). They also blunt the deeper, restorative stages of sleep and disrupt dreaming, so slow-wave sleep and REM sleep are diminished. The combination of reduced sleep efficiency, shorter sleep time, and loss of SWS and REM best captures the typical sleep-disruptive effect of stimulants. The idea of a reliable increase in N2 sleep spindles isn’t a characteristic effect of stimulants.