Which of the following is a commonly tested seizure trigger?

• A. Adequate sleep
• B. Hyperglycemia
• C. Regular exercise
• D. Sleep deprivation

Answer: (D)

Sleep deprivation lowers the brain’s seizure threshold, making seizures more likely in people with epilepsy. When you miss sleep, brain networks become more excitable and interictal discharges can occur more easily, partly due to shifts in neurotransmitter balance, stress hormones, and disrupted sleep-wake rhythms that destabilize thalamocortical circuits involved in seizure activity. Because this effect on seizure risk is consistently observed and emphasized in patient education, sleep deprivation is the classic and most commonly tested trigger. Adequate sleep is protective, so it wouldn’t be a trigger. Regular exercise tends to support better seizure control for many people and isn’t considered a typical trigger, though extreme exertion or dehydration could theoretically provoke seizures in some individuals. Metabolic disturbances like hyperglycemia can influence seizure risk but are less universal as a trigger in exam-focused questions than sleep deprivation.