The American Sleep Association says that 50 to 70 million Americans have sleep disorders, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention calls sleep deprivation a national epidemic. Although adolescents are thought to be at greatest risk, the lack of sleep is a threat to all ages. In addition to common symptoms like fatigue and daytime sleepiness, sleep deprivation increases the risk of disease and depression, affects thoughts and emotions, and raises accident levels.
Experts recommend seven to nine hours of sleep each night for adults, eight to ten for teens, and nine to eleven hours for school-aged children. For people who think they function well with less, Dr. Irina Gendler, MD, from Troy Primary Care Physicians in Ohio explains: “Our brain is trained to respond to change, and it will quit sending messages to the body that it is exhausted because that is already old news.” An occasional night without sleep makes a person feel tired and irritable the next day, but it does not cause lasting damage. After a few nights, it becomes hard to focus and make decisions. If it continues, the lack of sleep has longlasting effects on general health and well-being, and health symptoms occur.
1. Sleepiness
Everybody feels sleepy at times, but sleeplessness becomes a problem when it affects a person’s ability to function safely and efficiently in daily life. Signs include the following: difficulty staying awake while driving, reading, or watching TV; slow reactions; memory problems; and a need for daytime naps. Sleepiness can be caused by a disruption of natural sleep cycles, inadequate sleep, or a sleep disorder.
Certain medications and shift work can also make it hard to get enough sleep. Afternoon naps, late-day exercise, and erratic schedules are major causes of sleeplessness, and so is exposure to electronic devices, like computers and cellphones, that give off blue light. Although sleep is not entirely understood, sleep researchers know that everyone goes through three repetitive sleep cycles, followed by REM sleep, or rapid eye movement, at night. In the third cycle, the body heals, repairs itself, burns fat, and builds muscle. If the sleep cycle is shortened to less than seven to nine hours per night, the body and mind cannot restore itself, and daytime sleepiness results. This is different than excessive sleepiness, which is characterized by the need to sleep more than ten hours per night and is usually caused by a sleep disorder.
2. Mood Swings
There is a close relationship between mood swings and sleep. Not getting enough sleep contributes to irritability and negative feelings, while a good night’s sleep increases feelings of contentment and well-being. When sleep deprivation persists, it may lead to mood disorders, such as anxiety or depression. At the same time, negative feelings and emotions make it more difficult to fall asleep. Stress, for example, increases alertness and arouses a flight-or-fight state that makes relaxation difficult and creates a self-fulfilling cycle of sleepless nights and exhausted days. Insomnia can, in fact, be an early symptom of depression or anxiety disorder. When mood improves, sleep usually does too, or vice versa.
3. Impaired Concentration
In addition to fatigue and low mood, impaired concentration is a leading sign of sleep deprivation. Difficulty paying attention, either temporarily or over an extended time, complicates decision-making, good judgment, and work habits. It also interferes with relationships and social commitments. In a small study done at the University of California, Dr. Itzhak Fried and his team attached wires that measure the activity of neurons in the brains to twelve people and found that sleep deprivation slows the sparks of electrical messaging used by brain cells to communicate. Similar research explains the inability of students with inadequate sleep to learn, as well as the dangers of requiring medical professionals to work long hours without sleep.
4. Memory Problems
In the first study of its kind, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, confirmed the link between sleep deprivation and memory loss. Researchers found that brain waves transfer memories from the hippocampus, located at the back of the brain, to the prefrontal cortex, the part that stores long-term memories, during sleep. This may explain the inability to complete tasks, like recalling names, when sleep patterns deteriorate. Other researchers theorize that signs like being unable to focus because of adequate rest also contributes to poor memory. This may also explain why students who procrastinate and cram at the last minute for exams go blank during the test.
5. Disorientation
The National Sleep Foundation emphasizes the correlation between disorientation and sleep deprivation by saying that people with chronic pain suffer from an average 42-minute sleep debt each night. Sleep researchers estimate that one in every three people have trouble falling asleep or getting good sleep each night, and that number rises significantly for those with chronic or acute pain. Pain, in relationship to sleep quality, is associated with two factors: stress and poor health. People in discomfort wake up often and generally sleep poorly, making good sleep hygiene and medical intervention a priority. They are also more likely to say that environmental factors, like a mattress or lights, contribute to the quality of a good night’s rest.
6. Pain
The National Sleep Foundation illustrates the correlation between suffering and sleep deprivation by saying that chronic sufferers exhibit an average 42-minute sleep debt each night. Sleep researchers estimate that one in every three people have trouble falling asleep or getting good sleep each night, and that number rises significantly for those with chronic or acute distress. Pain, in relationship to sleep quality, is associated with two factors: stress and poor health. People in discomfort wake up often and generally sleep poorly, making good sleep hygiene and medical intervention a priority. They are also more likely to say that environmental factors, like a mattress or lights, contribute to the quality of a good night’s rest.
7. Disruption of Sleep Cycle
The circadian rhythm is a biological clock that regulates the body’s cycles of sleep and activity throughout the day. Calibrated by the natural light during a 24-hour day, its functions are controlled by a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. Body functions regulated by the circadian rhythm include body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and the release of hormones, like melatonin, that help with sleep. Specific lifestyles and habits, such as shift work, jet lag, exposure to light, sleep disorders, and poor sleep habits disrupt the body’s rhythm and lead to sleep deprivation. Simple life changes may be enough to fix the disruption of a sleep cycle. If not, doctors may suggest diagnosis by a sleep disorder clinic.
