Sleep deprivation ''could diminish risk of PTSD''
Sleep deprivation could be a powerful tool in preventing individuals who have suffered a severe shock from developing post traumatic shock disorder (PTSD), new research has shown.
Research conducted by Professor Hagit Cohen of the Anxiety and Stress Research Unit at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel revealed 20 per cent of those exposed to a traumatic event develop this condition and therefore highlighting methods to tackle its advancement was a priority for the researchers.
"Since memory is a significant component in the development of post-traumatic symptoms, we decided to examine the various effects of sleep deprivation immediately after exposure to trauma," commented Professor Cohen.
The results of the sleep deprivation studies showed that over the long-term people who are kept awake have weaker memories of the trauma and therefore are more able to cope moving forward in their lives.
The news follows the publication of findings from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Surrey and scientists from Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam that highlighted the fact that failure to get a good night's sleep can have the same physiological impact as high levels of stress.
Posted by Michael Ewing
