The impact of acute sleep restriction on executive functions: A quasi-experimental within-subjects examination of inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility

Acute sleep restriction can affect several aspects of higher-order cognition, including executive functioning. The present study examined how one night of acute sleep restriction affected three core components of executive functioning-inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility-using a within-subjects experimental design. Thirty-three healthy adults aged 18-35 years completed a standardized neurocognitive battery consisting of the Stroop Color-Word Task, Go/No-Go Task, N-Back Task, Task-Switching Paradigm, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test under two counterbalanced conditions: normal sleep (7-9 hours) and acute sleep restriction (≤4 hours). Sleep duration was monitored objectively using wrist actigraphy and supplemented with standardized sleep diaries. Performance declined across all three executive-function components following sleep restriction. The largest effects were observed in measures of cognitive flexibility, including increased switch costs and perseverative errors. Overall, the findings suggest that even a single night of substantial sleep restriction can adversely affect executive functioning, with cognitive flexibility appearing particularly sensitive to reduced sleep.