a of a verb or voice : showing that the subject of a sentence is the one doing the action expressed by the verb. âPickedâ in âI picked the applesâ is an active verb because it shows that the subject âIâ is the one who picked the apples.
Sleep deprivation is the condition of not having enough sleep; it can be either chronic or acute. A chronic sleep-restricted state can cause fatigue, daytime sleepiness, clumsiness and weight loss or weight gain. It adversely affects the brain and cognitive function. However, in a subset of cases sleep deprivation can, paradoxically, lead to increased energy and alertness and enhanced mood; it has even been used as a treatment for depression (see below). Few studies have compared the effects of acute total sleep deprivation and chronic partial sleep restriction.
In their report in the July 1 issue of the journal Biological Psychiatry, Winokur and his colleagues evaluated the effect of Remeron on patients' sleep by studying their sleep in a sleep laboratory. Six patients who were diagnosed with severe depression and complained of sleep problems were selected. The sleep-inducing effects of Remeron could be seen within the first week of treatment. Time taken to fall asleep decreased from about 15 minutes to five minutes. Total sleep time increased by about an hour a night -- from six hours to seven hours.