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Sleep Deprivation is an acknowledged issue within the military population, leading to increased reaction time and errors while driving in convoys, manning inspection posts, or clearing rooms. Errors in judgment made due to sleep deprivation can have tragic consequences for both soldiers and civilians. While an acknowledged issue for the military, the reality remains that soldiers will develop significant amounts of sleep debt over time, and occasionally they will also have acute periods of significant deprivation. Thus there remains a need to develop mitigation strategies to reduce the cognitive effects of sleep loss.
The neurocognitive effects of sleep loss are similar to those seen in cytokine sickness behavior: increased sleep drive, reduced reaction time, decreased accuracy/increased errors, reduced capacity for decision making, decreased wound healing, increased muscle fatigue/pain. The consequences of sleep deprivation to our soldiers include being less able to heal following an injury, decreased ability to de-escalate conflict, and decreased ability to defend themselves and others. In addition, sleep loss is associated with increase cytokine activity. Thus it is hypothesized that if we can reduce the cytokine activity, we may be able to mitigate the effects of sleep loss.
The primary method for modulating cytokine activity in humans is through dietary adjustments. Omega-3 fatty acids appear to be the substance least likely to cause excessive side effects, with the greatest potential for success. A double-blind studies using Omega-3 fatty acids and placeboes will be used to assess the mitigating effects of Omega-3 fatty acids on the effects of sleep loss both acutely through deprivation and chronically through accumulation of debt.