Sleep Deprivation Game

Synopsis

Are your students getting enough sleep? This board game is designed to teach players about the effects of sleep on the brain and what happens when we don’t get enough sleep. Players will navigate their way across the board and compete with other players to collect the most amount of sleep hours and pillows.

Objectives

At the end of this activity students will:

• Be able to discuss the positive impact sleep has on the brain
• Understand the negative effects of sleep deprivation
• Understand how sleep affects concentration, coordination, memory, and mood
• Know how many hours of sleep they need to get each night
• Better understand how caffeine affects sleep and the brain
• Have better knowledge of different sleep disorders

Teacher Background

The Sleep Deprivation Game explores different ways humans are affected by sleep.
Sleep is vital to survival, and it helps the nervous system to function properly.

Studies reveal that when animals and people fail to get enough sleep, concentration,
coordination, memory, and mood suffer.

The goal of the game is to gain as many hours of sleep as possible. As players travel
around the board, they collect and lose sleep by landing on different spaces.

No prior knowledge is needed to play this game.

Integration into the Curriculum

• Health
• Biology, AP Biology
• Anatomy and Physiology

Materials Needed

• Sleep Board Game (70 KB)
• Sleep Game Rules (62 KB)
• Memory Booster Cards (41 KB)
• Hour Cards (print 4 sheets) (15 KB)
• 1 six-sided die
• Player pieces
  
  

About the Author

Emma Lindberg

Emma is the former Outreach Associate at the Society for Neuroscience. She helped find and create Educator Resources for BrainFacts.org, as well as promote the site at conferences and events across the country.