A new research has revealed that chronic deprivation of sleep and the effect "sleep debt" has on thinking and functionality is not helped all that much by a single good night's sleep. While a single night of proper sleep can make one feel better and more active in the short-run, the ill-effects of long-term sleep deprivation tend to prevail much longer.

"Chronic sleep loss from six hours of sleep per night for two weeks causes a similar level of impairment as staying awake for 24 hours. Chronically sleep-deprived people are vulnerable to sudden sleepiness, errors and accidents", said lead author of the study Dr. Daniel A. Cohen.

Dr. Cohen is a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist working with Brigham and Women's Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Both the facilities are in Boston.

Researchers have discovered that about 16% of Americans routinely manage to get only 6 hours of sleep a day, or less.

For the sake of study, 9 healthy men and women, all between the age groups of 21 to 34, were put on a 3 week schedule of sleep-wake, and their behaviors were then tracked.

Details of the study have been published in the January 13 issue of Science Translational Medicine.