Daytime Visual Load and the Effects upon Human Sleep

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Abstract
The importance of vision to man was used as a basis for a possible link between vision and sleep. A physiological approach to the human visual system identified several factors which might produce a visual load. Five subjects were exposed to high and low levels of visual load on two different occasions. Exercise and noise were controlled. Sleep EEGs were taken for 3 baseline nights and for 2 nights following each condition. The only significant changes were for SWS stages, which increased after the high load condition. These increases were particularly prominent on the second night. There were no significant changes fallowing the low condition. On all nights RKM remained constant: this was contrary to the cognitive theories of REM. Although the findings indicate that visual load can affect SWS. this interpretation is qualified.