The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Your Body
Sleep deprivation is a common struggle in today’s fast-paced world. This is particularly prevalent in urban areas where lifestyle is highly demanding and hectic, thanks to hustle culture. According to a report by the National Institutes of Health, chronic sleep disorders and related health issues affect roughly 50 million people in America. If you spend most of your hours tossing and turning in bed, you may be silently struggling with sleep deprivation. But don’t let it overtake your life because it has some long-term implications not just on our health but on day-to-day life as well. Let’s learn more about it further in the blog post.
What is Sleep Deprivation?
Sleep deprivation is a condition where a person is not receiving an optimal number of hours of quality sleep. If not addressed, it can have long-term consequences that may begin to interfere with your daily routines and lead to a poor lifestyle. Long-term sleep deprivation has been associated with many chronic health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, depression, and weakened immunity. Over time, it can also impair cognitive functions, memory, and emotional stability, making it harder to perform everyday tasks effectively.
So if you have observed changes in your sleep pattern, slow or sudden, you should consult to healthcare provider to get you on the right track.
Optimal Sleep
Most adults generally require between 7 to 9 hours of sleep every day. To maintain a healthy sleep pattern, it’s very important to have a consistent sleep schedule with regular bedtimes and wake-up times. While 7 to 9 hours is the general recommendation, the exact amount of sleep needed can vary from person to person based on age, lifestyle, and individual needs.
For newborns, the optimal amount of sleep can be as high as 17 to 19 hours per day. As they grow, infants typically need around 12 to 14 hours. Young children, including toddlers and preschoolers, should aim for about 10 to 12 hours of sleep each night to support healthy development.
Causes of Sleep Deprivation
There are a number of factors that can contribute to sleep deprivation. The most common ones are listed below:
- Chronic Illness
- Irregular Sleep Schedule
- Excessive screentime
- Work or Academic Pressure
- Caffeine or Alcohol Consumption
- Poor Sleep Environment
Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation doesn’t just make you feel tired. It can affect nearly every aspect of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Some symptoms may appear subtle at first but can worsen over time. Here are the most common signs to watch out for:
- Persistent fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Mood changes and irritability
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Weakened immune system
- Reduced physical performance
- Increased appetite or weight gain
- Dark circles and puffy eyes
- Microsleeps
- Poor decision-making
Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Our Body
Sleep plays an instrumental role in maintaining the balance of various body systems. When your sleep becomes insufficient, it can trigger a cascade of negative effects throughout the body. Let’s see how:
Nervous System
The most immediate impact of sleep deprivation is on the nervous system, as sleep is essential for the proper functioning of the brain. When you sleep, your brain consolidates everything that happens in your day and stores memories and information. That’s why when you start getting deprived of enough sleep, you often develop symptoms like forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating. If you continue to fall victim to sleep deprivation, you may begin messing up with your decision-making process and even reaction times.
Neurodegeneration
Chronic sleep loss has been widely linked with neurodegeneration. Studies show that chronic sleep deprivation can impair your brain’s ability to clear up waste products, which leads to the formation of misfolded proteins like amyloid-beta and tau, known to cause conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s.
Oxidative Stress
Several studies show that improper sleep is associated with increased oxidative stress. It is a process where there is an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (highly unstable and reactive molecules that can damage cellular components by forming chain reactions) and the body’s ability to detoxify them. Sleep deprivation can trigger the release of inflammatory molecules like cytokines and the accumulation of misfolded proteins. Formation of these chemicals can interfere with your everyday neuronal communication, resulting in impairing of cognitive processes.
Neurotransmitter Imbalance
Lack of sleep has also been linked with disturbing the delicate balance of neurotransmitters in the brain. These chemicals play a fundamental role in controlling your mood and emotions. Interference in the balance of neurotransmitters can result in a dull mood and feeling of overexertion, nervousness, and anxiety.
Brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine are crucial for strengthening cognitive functions and maintaining healthy sleep patterns. They also play a key role in supporting your day-to-day functions like alertness, regulating stress responses, and supporting motivation and reward pathways in the brain that push you to maintain a healthy lifestyle. When sleep is inadequate, it disrupts the release and reuptake of neurotransmitters, which can trigger a series of harmful effects.
Summing Up
Sleep deprivation is a serious issue that can affect nearly every aspect of your well-being. No matter if it’s caused by a busy schedule, stress, or underlying health conditions, lack of sleep can leave you feeling drained, so it’s highly important to address it.
Fortunately, there are a number of practical ways to combat sleep deprivation. For example, by sticking to a regular bedtime and wake-up time, you can help your body regulate its internal clock, hence maintain a healthy schedule. Limiting screentime or indulging yourself in sports is also known to help with curing sleep deprivation. Practicing journaling, mindfulness, or having a balanced diet can also have a great impact on your sleep cycle.
Try incorporating these habits if you have been experiencing a lack of sleep. In more serious situations, it’s strongly advised to seek professional medical advice. However, most of their techniques will revolve around improving your lifestyle. Ultimately, it all starts with healthy habits and a strong determination to overcome.
