Reduced Attention Span
It is common to hear people say they are running on coffee or have too little sleep. What people do not realize is that there are consequences to running on empty. One such consequence is a reduced attention span.
There are two types of attention, namely selective and sustained. Selective attention is focusing on a specific thing while ignoring other things happening around you. An example of this would be having a conversation with someone despite the noise in the room. Sustained attention is being able to focus on something for an extended period. An excellent example of this would be taking an exam or reading a book. Both types of attention are important in day-to-day life.
It has been shown that sleep deprivation decreases both types of attention. Sleep deprivation reduces vigilance, which is the ability to sustain attention over long periods. In this case, the brain has a harder time filtering out irrelevant information and focusing on what is important. Lack of sleep also reduces working memory, which is the ability to remember information and use it to make decisions.
