AMA STEPS Forward®

Pearl of the Week: The perils of sleep deprivation

An independent risk factor for anxiety and depression

| 1 Min Read
STEPS Forward Pearl of the Week

Research shows sleep deprivation is an independent risk factor for anxiety, depression and suicide. MRI scans show sleep deprivation affects the areas of the brain that regulate empathy, and physicians who are low on sleep are less likely to be empathetic to patients. Pilots and truck drivers have strict regulations about sleep, and the medical field is beginning to evaluate how long hours and sleep deprivation affect physicians, residents and fellows. 

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