Effects of Sleep Deprivation in Military Service Members on Cognitive Performance: A Systematic Review

• Published in: Military behavioral health 2022-09, Vol.10 (3), p.202-220
• Main Authors: Petrofsky, Lyddia A., Heffernan, Corinne M., Gregg, Brian T., Smith-Forbes, Enrique V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: attention; cognitive performance; decision-making; Military; reaction time; service member; sleep; sleep deprivation
• ISSN: 2163-5781; 2163-5803
• DOI: 10.1080/21635781.2021.1982088

The U.S. military has a greater risk for insufficient daily sleep than the U.S. population. No systematic review exists exploring the effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance in the U.S. military population. The purpose of this review was to examine the current evidence for the impacts of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance in the U.S. military population. A search was conducted for articles within EBSCOHost and PubMed published between 1990 and 2020. Titles and abstracts were screened. Studies performed in a U.S. military population where researchers assessed the cognitive performance of participants in a sleep deprived state were included for final review. Twelve publications (11 cohort studies, and 1 cross-sectional study) were identified. Findings across these Level 2b studies suggest that cognitive performance is negatively impacted by increased sleep deprivation. More specifically, reaction times, cognitive processing speed, decreased accuracy in response, and efficient and moral decision making were most significantly affected by decreased sleep. Sleep deprivation is a known problem in the military population and has adverse effects on cognitive performance. Future studies to further address the identified specific cognitive deficits, and effective strategies for increasing sleep duration may positively impact cognitive performance within a military population.