What are the health effects of sleep deprivation?
- Memory Problems
- Mood Changes
- Impaired Immunity
- High Blood Pressure
- Risk of Heart Disease
- Risk of Diabetes
- Decreased Fertility
- Weight Gain
- Ages Your Skin
Memory Problems
Scientists studying sleep deprivation have found that poor sleep can lead to impaired alertness and concentration. This is because the nerve connections we make during our sleep are integral to embedding knowledge and experience into our brains. The different phases of sleep play different roles in processing new information into memories. Without proper sleep, this process is cut short, and we have a harder time filing these things into our short-term memories. Thus, without sleep, it’s more likely that we become forgetful and have a harder time concentrating. This makes it harder for us to perform tasks that require memory recall, logical reasoning, and complex thought.Mood Changes

Impaired Immunity
Sleep is an important part of our immune system function. When we sleep, we produce protective antibodies and cytokines, which help combat infections and bacteria. We need these to deter foreign invaders, such as viruses. Sleep deprivation impairs this production, which prevents your immune system from building up to its defenses. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body has a harder time fighting off infections, which may lead to sickness. Worse, it can also take you longer to recover from simple illnesses, such as colds or coughs.High Blood Pressure

Risk of Heart Disease
As a lack of sleep can cause high blood pressure, it can also affect the health of our heart. During sleep, our heart vessels and the heart itself heal and repair overnight. As previously stated, proper sleep can also help control blood pressure and inflammation control. Too little sleep can disrupt this process and can increase the risk of heart disease, such as:- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Irregular heartbeat
- Blood clots
- Stroke
Risk of Diabetes

Decreased Fertility
Sleep can also affect your fertility and libido, causing devastating impacts for both men and women trying to conceive. The part of the brain that is concerned with our circadian rhythms uses the same rhythm to trigger the release of reproductive hormones. Our circadian rhythms are thrown off balance when we experience sleep deprivation. As a result, our bodies will struggle to produce hormones properly, leading to irregular levels of testosterone, progesterone, estrogen, and other hormones. Due to this, conception can become even more difficult for many couples.Weight Gain
