Sleep deprivation is an overall lack of the necessary amount of sleep. A person can be deprived of sleep by their own body and mind, insomnia, or actively deprived by another individual. Sleep deprivation is sometimes used as an instrument of torture.

Lack of sleep may also result in irritability, blurred vision, slurred speech, memory lapses, overall confusion, hallucinations, nausea, psychosis, and eventually death.

Extensive research in this area has been carried out by the prominent scientist William C. Dement.

Total sleep deprivation in rats leads to death in 14-16 days. Death occurs later if only REM or only NREM sleep are eliminated.

See also

• Sleep debt