Evening star., 1953-12-07
Lack Of Sleep Stressed
In 'Bruin Woshings'
Studies Show importance
Of This Deprivation
BY Thomos R. Henry

Long deprivation of sleep is one Of
the most important elements in the
Russian "brain-waShing" technique.
This is the conclusion of DR.. Henry
P. Laughlin of George Washington Uni
verSity Medical SchooI after a study
of the psychological effects of long
wakefulness. Only recently, he says in
a report published in the International
Record of Medicine, have serious SCI
entif1c efforts been made to determine
the results Of sleep deprivation, despite
their possible Importance. Both Com
munistS and Nazis, however, apparently
nave investigated the field with some
thoroughneSS.
Recent local studies, D. Laughlin de-
clares, show an almost universal effect
on individuals. The more common ef-
fectS found, he reports, are. Increased
difficulty in reading, writing and alb
Stract thinking; some degree of IRA
tionality in action; decreased ability to
carry out tasks requiring sustained at
tention and effort.
There may be irritability and double
vision and a subject is apt to make in
ppropriate remarks.
Appears to Affect All.
AS deprivation continues more or
less abnormal mental state appears.
The results" DR.. Lauglhin says, soon
er or later appear to affect all subjects.
AS there is more and more of sleep dep
rivation, there gradually appears a
hypnagogic state which is character
lied by loss of sense of reality and the
clouding of mental faculties. The in
dividual becomes increasingly dream
like and out of contact. 1t is partly this
universal response to fatigue and sleep
deprivation that gives Soviet inter-
rogatorS their confidence in producing
expected results.
THE individual who has suffered
sleep deprivation is more amenable to
suggestion. He is more apt to carry
out demands of those who would have
him undertake certain specified be-
havior and he is less likely to put up
resistance to the demands of someone
in authority.
Fatigue and sleep deprivation play
major role in the process by which
prisoners have been persuaded to
confess, to modify behavior, and to
embrace new PHILOSOPHERS. 1t is true
that other methods are used in obtain
ing the results achieved with prisoners
by representatives of the U. S. S. r.
These include such things as drugs,
threats, occasional physical torture,
variation in treatment and surround
ings, complete isolation of the victim
and encouraging the feeling of deser-
M fhnca
in combination is considerably more
effective than actual physical torture.
especially with better educated people
and those from higher socio-economic
classes.
Recovery is Fast.
Notable effects from sleep depriva-
ton may begin to be apparent after 36
hours. From SO hours onwards abnor-
NAL symptoms will appear, according
to the individual tolerance and the pre-
vious personality background. After
100 hours OF more, one can expect alb
normal psychological findings in high
percentage of subjects. Recovery is
rapid. A period of from 10 to Is hours
uninterrupted sleep is usually sufficient
to bring about complete. or nearly COM
plete, recovery regardless of the length
of sleep deprivation"
The condition after 100 hours, DR..
Laughlln explains, appears fairly typi-
cal for everybody. 1t is the so-called
hypnagogic state.
This state is marked" he says, "by
the presence of relative and varying
degrees of confusion, loss of sense Of
values, tendency towards disorienta-
ton, occasional hallucinations, and de-
creased ability to keep contact with
the real world.
"One investigator describes the be-
havior of his subjects as resembling
that of heavily drunken persons"