Memory Mix-Ups from Missing Sleep

Insufficient sleep may be an under-recognized public health epidemic, that may be responsible for vehicle crashes, industrial disasters and chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Kimberly Fenn, from Michigan State University (Michigan, USA), and colleagues kept study subjects awake for 24 hours, finding that they were more likely to mix up event details than participants who were well rested. The effect was also shown in participants who got five or fewer hours of sleep.  The study authors warn that: “sleep deprivation can increase the risk of developing false memories.”