EEG Changes Accompanying Successive Cycles of Sleep Restriction With and Without Naps in Adolescents

To investigate the temporal evolution of sleep EEG changes in adolescents across two cycles of sleep restriction and recovery simulating an intense school week and to examine the effect of an afternoon nap on nocturnal sleep.

A parallel-group design, quasi-laboratory study was conducted in a student hostel. Fifty-seven adolescents (31 males, age = 15-19 years) were randomly assigned to nap or no nap groups. Participants underwent a 15-day protocol comprising two sleep restriction (5-hour time-in-bed [TIB]) and recovery (9-hour TIB) cycles. The nap group was also provided with a 1-hour nap opportunity at 14:00 following each sleep restriction night. Polysomnography recordings were obtained on nine nights and five nap episodes.

Naps reduced homeostatic sleep pressure on sleep restriction nights as evidenced by longer N2 latency and reduced total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency (SE), and slow wave energy. Sleep debt accumulated in both groups, evidenced by increased TST, greater SE, and reduced wake after sleep onset on recovery compared to baseline nights. Changes were greater in the no nap group. Recovery sleep after the first cycle of sleep restriction did not restore sleep architecture to baseline in either group. SE, rapid eye movement (REM), and non-REM sleep increased, and N2 latency was reduced in the second sleep restriction period.

Changes in sleep EEG induced by sleep restriction to 5-hour TIB for five nights were not eliminated after two nights of 9-hour recovery sleep. An afternoon nap helped but residual effects on the sleep EEG suggest that there is no substitute for adequate nocturnal sleep.