Classic Iowa Studies: How Sleep Loss Affects Decision-Making and Risk Assessment
How Does Sleep Loss Affect Your Ability to Make Good Decisions and Assess Risk?
Sleep loss significantly impairs decision-making and risk assessment abilities, with landmark University of Iowa research demonstrating that sleep-deprived individuals make poorer choices, take excessive risks, and show reduced ability to learn from negative consequences. The studies revealed that sleep deprivation particularly affects the prefrontal cortex regions responsible for executive decision-making, leading to impulsive choices, overconfidence in risky situations, and failure to adequately weigh potential negative outcomes when making important decisions.