Timing of restricted sleep: mood and neurobehavioral outcomes in healthy sleepers

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how nocturnal timing of sleep restriction affects vigilant attention and mood in healthy controls with normal sleep–wake patterns. METHODS: A convenience sample from two controlled sleep restriction protocols were used to investigate the difference between 4 hours of sleep early in the night, versus 4 hours late in the night. Volunteers stayed in a hospital setting and were randomized to one of the three conditions: a control (8 hours of sleep each night), an early short sleep (ESS, 2300–0300 hours), and a late short sleep (LSS, 0300–0700 hours). Participants were evaluated with psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and mood ratings via visual analog scales. RESULTS: Short sleep conditions led to greater performance decrements than control on PVT. LSS performance impairments were greater than control (lapses, p = 0.011; median RT, p = 0.029; fastest 10%, p = 0.038; reciprocal RT, p = 0.014; and reciprocal 10%, p = 0.005), but had higher positive mood ratings (p = 0.005). LSS also had higher positive mood ratings compared with ESS (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The data underscore the negative mood impact of waking at an adverse circadian phase, for healthy controls. In addition, the paradoxical relationship between mood and performance seen in LSS raises concerns that staying up late and waking at the usual rise time may be rewarding in terms of mood, but nonetheless have performance consequences that may not be fully recognized.