Sleep deprivation has been shown to affect stress responses by doing which of the following?

• A. Reduces cortisol production.
• B. Improves mood and coping.
• C. Amplifies perceived stress, impairs coping, and disrupts cortisol diurnal rhythm.
• D. Has no effect on stress.

Answer: (C)

Sleep deprivation shifts how the body handles stress by making the HPA-axis more reactive and by disturbing cortisol’s normal daily rhythm. When you miss sleep, stress responses can feel stronger (perceived stress increases) and coping abilities decline. Hormone-wise, cortisol’s diurnal pattern gets disrupted—typically the morning peak is blunted and the usual daytime decline is less distinct—so the system isn’t regulating stress hormones as efficiently. This combination—more stress perception, poorer coping, and a broken cortisol rhythm—fits why this option is the best answer. Sleep loss doesn’t simply reduce cortisol production, nor does it improve mood and coping, and it certainly isn’t without effect on stress.