Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast Combatting the Negative Effects of Sleep Deprivation
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Oct 31, 2025 Dr. Brandon Luu, an internal medicine physician and respiratory fellow, dives into the cognitive and metabolic chaos caused by sleep deprivation. He highlights shocking studies linking sleepless nights to impairments in learning and memory, akin to being legally intoxicated. Discover how high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and creatine can counteract these effects while caffeine and bright light therapy sharpen focus. Plus, Luu shares practical tips on using exercise and light to boost performance even when tired—essential tools for anyone navigating sleep loss!
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Sleep Loss Equals Intoxication
- One night of total sleep deprivation impairs cognition roughly like a 0.05% blood alcohol concentration.
- People often lack insight into their own impairment after even brief sleep loss.
Sleep Is Crucial For Learning
- Severe sleep deprivation (36 hours) reduces memory retention by about 40% on word-memory tasks.
- Studying while severely sleep-deprived is highly ineffective for learning.
Sleep Loss Warps Appetite Hormones
- Two nights of four-hour sleep reduced leptin 18% and increased ghrelin 28% in healthy men.
- Sleep loss drives hunger and lowers satiety, promoting overeating.