This gives new meanings and meanings to the expression “no rest for the tired”.

A new study has shown that people who are sleep-deprived can actually improve their walking ability by getting a few more winsks. This is because it requires more brain activity than previously thought.

The research, led by scientists at MIT and Brazil’s University of São Paulo, found that people who get less than the recommended amount of sleep have trouble walking, ultimately impacting a person’s stride or gait.

Researchers used student volunteers to test their control on a treadmill. They found that the more sleep a student received (on average, six hours per night), the more control they had.   

Sleep deprived people could improve their walking ability by sleeping more

People who are sleep deprived could improve their walking ability by getting more sleep

Researchers analyzed groups of students over 14 days and found those that slept less than the average of six hours per night had less control on a treadmill

Researchers examined 14 different student groups over 14 days. They found those who slept less that the average of six hours per day had less control on a treadmill.

For students who got no sleep at all, the gait control plummeted

Students who slept little or no sleep saw their gait control drop dramatically

Students who slept little or no sleep saw their gait control drop.

However, students who slept in on weekends but had less than ideal sleep during the week performed better than those who got enough sleep.

“Scientifically it wasn’t clear if almost automatic activities such as walking would be affected by lack of sleep,” stated Hermano Krebs, one of the study’s researchers, in a statement. 

We also think that compensating to sleep could be a good strategy. For example, patients, shift workers, and military personnel who are chronically sleep deprived might be able to control their gait by incorporating regular sleep compensation.

Students who caught up on sleep over the weekend had better performance walking on a treadmill

Students who got more sleep on the weekend were able to walk faster on a treadmill.

Researchers believed walking was an automatic process. Krebs said that the idea was more controversial in humans.

Walking is actually more brain-intensive than people thought. Researchers have identified how people walk and what their gaits are to help create robots that can be used for stroke patients or other people with debilitating disabilities.

The study concluded that “our results suggest that partial or complete sleep deprivation can lead to a decrease of the sensorimotor control gait performance,” according to the researchers. 

“The superior performance of the chronic sleep group compared to that of the acute group suggests that there may be a compensatory mechanism that improves motor performance.

Krebs, who has previously done studies on the subject, found that healthy subjects can slightly alter their gait, even without realizing it. He just looked at it.

Researchers analyzed groups of students over 14 days and found those that slept less than the average of six hours per night had less control on a treadmill

Researchers examined 14 different student groups over 14 days. They found those who slept less that the average of six hours per day had less control on a treadmill.

Thought to be automatic, the study suggests walking uses more brain involvement than previously thought

The study suggests that walking is more brain-related than previously thought.

This suggests that there may be some conscious influence.

Krebs explained, “That suggested that gait was only an automatic process is not the whole story.” “There is a lot of influence coming out of the brain.

Krebs and lead author Arturo Forner-Cordero analyzed the University of São Paulo students over a period of 14 days and found that they slept on average, about six hours per night.

However, some students compensated by sleeping extra during weekends.

One group stayed awake the whole night in the evening before the 14th day.

Researchers brought all the groups to the lab and asked them to walk at the exact same speed. A metronome was playing in the background. The students were asked to keep up the pace and adjust the speed slightly.

Forner-Cordero stated, “They had to synchronize the heel strike to the beat. We found that the errors were greater in people with acute sleep loss.” 

“They were out of rhythm, missed beeps, and performing in general, worse.”

‘That’s paradoxical,’ Forner-Cordero added. “Even at the peak time when most people would be tired,” Forner Cordero added.

Krebs said, “The results show that gait does not occur automatically and that it can be affected if there is sleep deprivation.” 

They also offer strategies to reduce the effects of sleep deprivation. Ideally, everyone should get eight hours of sleep each night. If we are unable to sleep eight hours a night, we should make up the difference as often as possible.

Scientific Reports published the study Tuesday.