The effects of body posture on resting electroencephalographic activity in sleep-deprived subjects

Objective: This study examined the effects of posture on the resting electroencephalographic (EEG) activity of sleep-deprived volunteers. Methods: EEG data were collected under two conditions at 13 separate time points. Testing was performed while subjects remained in a normal seated position and then repeated while subjects stood upright. Results: Results indicated that delta and theta activity progressively increased as a function of sleep loss, and that standing upright attenuated this effect. Conclusions: These results suggest that an upright posture increases EEG arousal and may be useful for counteracting fatigue in sleep-deprived individuals