Chronotype and Affective Response to Sleep Restriction and Subsequent Sleep Deprivation

Prior research indicates that sleep restriction, sleep deprivation, and circadian misalignment diminish positive affect, whereas effects on negative affect are inconsistent. One potential factor that may influence an individual’s affective response to sleep restriction, sleep deprivation, and circadian misalignment is chronotype. Later chronotypes generally report higher negative affect and lower positive affect under typical sleep conditions; however, there is mixed evidence for an influence of chronotype on affective responses to sleep restriction and sleep deprivation. The present study examined the effect of chronotype on positive and negative affect during sleep restriction and subsequent total sleep deprivation. Sixteen healthy adults (M_age = 28.2 years, SD_age = 11.6 years) were classified as earlier or later chronotypes using multiple chronotype definitions: morningness-eveningness (MEQ), mid-sleep on free days corrected (MSFsc), habitual mid-sleep timing, dim light melatonin onset (DLMO), and phase relationship between DLMO and bedtime. Participants completed a 10-day protocol with one night of sleep restriction and subsequent 28 h total sleep deprivation. Affect was assessed hourly during scheduled wakefulness with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Data were analyzed with mixed-model analyses of variance (ANOVAs). During sleep restriction and subsequent sleep deprivation, positive affect decreased and negative affect increased. Across all chronotype measures, relatively later chronotypes demonstrated vulnerability to increased negative affect during sleep loss. The influence of chronotype on positive affect during sleep loss varied by chronotype measure. These findings suggest later chronotypes are more vulnerable to affective impairments during sleep loss and circadian misalignment, even when late chronotype is not extreme.