Abstract
The present study examined whether the homeostatic regulation of sleep will be driven by the mild sleep loss (partial sleep deprivation). Following the 4-night home-monitored customary sleep, 5 volunteers (age 19-25yrs) took part in the 4 successive night polysomnograph at sleep laboratory. Bed time was set at 11:00pm in the first, second and fourth nights, whereas at 2:00am in the third night. Rise time was 7:00am in common; the third night had time in bed restricted to 5 hours. In contrast to adaptation of the first night effect (stressful night) seen across nights in terms of sleep variables related to REM sleep, significant increase of %NREM sleep and EEG delta-band power occurred during the initial 3 hours of sleep in the third night. Improvement of perceived sleep was also observed in the third night except sleepiness. The present study seems to supply the basic evidence supporting a potential participation of homeostatic regulation in the sleep restriction treatment applied to insomnia.
