Is lack of sleep making you lose your mind? This is completely normal, according to a study by German and British researchers published by the journal Journal of Neuroscience. Their work shows that 24 hours without sleep can have the same effects psychosis has on the human mind.
The researchers analyzed a group of 24 healthy men and women, aged 18 to 40. They all spent their first night sleeping normally in the sleep lab. A week later, scientists held them down awake for 24 hours, before asking them questions about their state of mind, checking their reflexes and feelings. Result: Study participants reported being more sensitive to light and color. Their sense of smell and touch also appear to have been affected and some have claimed to be able to read minds.
Lack of sleep reduces the filtering function of the brain. However, “filters separate what is important from what is not important and avoid sensory overload”, Explain researcher Nadine Petrovsky, who participated in the study. The findings of this research amazed the team of scientists, who did not believe that the symptoms would be so pronounced after just one sleepless night.