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Sleep PressureEvidence & Dosage

Adenosine builds up during wakefulness — caffeine blocks its effect.

Evidence at a glance

Total studies
1,000
With abstract
50
Meta / Systematic / RCT
122
Highly cited
50
Publication years
1976–2026

Sleep Pressure in the context of Sleep

This topic is part of our "Sleep" world. There you'll find methodology, evidence and the highest-impact levers — plus the order in which they sensibly build on each other.

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Top studies on Sleep Pressure

Ranked by influential-citation count and publication year.

  1. Sleep and mental disorders: A meta-analysis of polysomnographic research.

    Psychol Bull2016Meta-Analysis200 influential citations

    Investigating sleep in mental disorders has the potential to reveal both disorder-specific and transdiagnostic psychophysiological mechanisms. This meta-analysis aimed at determining the polysomnographic (PSG) characteristics of several…

  2. The importance of sleep regularity: a consensus statement of the National Sleep Foundation sleep timing and variability panel.

    Sleep Health2023systematic200 influential citations

    OBJECTIVE: To develop and present consensus findings of the National Sleep Foundation sleep timing and variability panel regarding the impact of sleep timing variability on health and performance. METHODS: The National Sleep Foundation…

  3. The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Sleep Med Rev2023n=24Meta-Analysis200 influential citations

    The consumption of caffeine in response to insufficient sleep may impair the onset and maintenance of subsequent sleep. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effect of caffeine on the characteristics of night-time…

  4. Sleep loss and emotion: A systematic review and meta-analysis of over 50 years of experimental research.

    Psychol Bull2024n=5,717Meta-Analysis200 influential citations

    In a largely sleep-deprived society, quantifying the effects of sleep loss on emotion is critical for promoting psychological health. This preregistered systematic review and meta-analysis quantified the effects of various forms of sleep…

  5. The effect of sleep deprivation and restriction on mood, emotion, and emotion regulation: three meta-analyses in one.

    Sleep2021n=241Meta-Analysis163 influential citations

    Study Objectives New theory and measurement approaches have facilitated nuanced investigation of how sleep loss impacts dimensions of affective functioning. To provide a quantitative summary of this literature, three conceptually related…

  6. Effects of Acute Sleep Loss on Physical Performance: A Systematic and Meta-Analytical Review.

    Sports Med2022n=959Meta-Analysis135 influential citations

    Background Sleep loss may influence subsequent physical performance. Quantifying the impact of sleep loss on physical performance is critical for individuals involved in athletic pursuits. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Search…

    Finding: Sleep loss significantly impaired performance in all exercise categories examined.

  7. HPA axis activity in patients with chronic insomnia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies.

    Sleep Med Rev2022n=449Meta-Analysis124 influential citations

    Insomnia is a highly prevalent disorder and a state of 24 h hyperarousal is considered as a key factor of this condition. Various physiological markers of hyperarousal have been investigated, including the activity of the HPA axis.…

  8. The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Metabolic Syndrome and Sleep Disorders: A Systematic Review.

    Nutrients2024n=36Systematic Review98 influential citations

    <h4>Background</h4>Over recent decades, a growing body of evidence has emerged linking the composition of the gut microbiota to sleep regulation. Interestingly, the prevalence of sleep disorders is commonly related to cardiometabolic…

  9. Distinct Convergent Brain Alterations in Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: A Meta-Analysis.

    JAMA Psychiatry2025n=3,380Meta-Analysis92 influential citations

    <h4>Importance</h4>Sleep disorders have different etiologies yet share some nocturnal and daytime symptoms, suggesting common neurobiological substrates; healthy individuals undergoing experimental sleep deprivation also report analogous…

  10. Menstrual disturbances and its association with sleep disturbances: a systematic review.

    BMC Womens Health2023Systematic Review84 influential citations

    Background Menstrual disturbances harm women’s health, and general well-being. As growing evidence highlights the relationship between sleep and menstrual disturbances, it is imperative to comprehensively examine the association between…

Frequently asked

What dosage was studied?
• Caffeine consumption (Coffee 107 mg per 250 mL; pre-workout supplement 217.5 mg)
Which population does the evidence apply to?
Most studies investigated: unknown.
Are there safety considerations for Sleep Pressure?
• No adverse events reported in the abstract. • Sleep loss was associated with impaired exercise performance. • Avoid deprivation and late-restriction protocols if performance must be preserved. • Morning exercise was less affected than PM exercise.

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