Moderate exercise and hemodilution during sleep deprivation.
The effect of 52 h of sleep deprivation (SD) upon blood constituents was studied in 12 young women aged 21.5 +/- 0.4 years. Subjects were individually isolated without time cues, performing a sequence of cognitive tasks. Significant decreases in hematocrit (p less than 0.002) and red cell count (p less than 0.04) developed, mainly over the first 28 h of SD, reaching a subsequent plateau or partial recovery. The calculated plasma volume also increased by 10.7 +/- 3.1% at 52 h, with recovery to a 6.9 +/- 3.2% increase the following day. About 1 L of water was retained over the first 30 h of SD, with a subsequent partial elimination of this excess. Plasma albumin and total protein concentrations were largely sustained in the face of the plasma expansion. The plasma pH showed a progressive fall from a baseline value of 7.381 +/- 0.014 to 7.332 +/- 0.006 at 52 h, while plasma bicarbonate decreased from a baseline figure of 31.2 +/- 0.7 to 26-27 mM/L (p less than 0.05). After 8 weeks, all subjects repeated the experiment, with the introduction of 30 min of exercise in the 40th h of wakefulness. Hematocrit and plasma volume changes were similar to those of the first experiment up to the time of exercise, but hematocrit decreased and plasma volume increased after the exercise bout, rather than reaching a plateau. Plasma pH increased with exercise, but returned to the previous low level at 52 h. Any arousing effect of the exercise bout was transient. The plasma expansion reflects metabolic and/or respiratory acidosis, plus possible effects of a prolonged period without recumbency.
Goodman
J M
JM
School of Physical and Health Education, University of Toronto, Ont., Canada.
Plyley
M J
MJ
Hart
L E
LE
Radomski
M
M
Shephard
R J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001810:Blood Volume / Q000502:physiology; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006438:Hemodilution; D006801:Humans; D010100:Oxygen / Q000502:physiology; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*
D001798:Blood Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D010100:Oxygen