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
A lack of proper sleep can also alter your moods significantly. We’re all familiar with the irritability that comes with lacking sleep. When we’re tired, we are unable to cope with stress like usual. Research has shown that sleep-deprived people are more likely to get into arguments and perform poorly at school. When experiencing long-term sleep deprivation, it can also put you at a greater risk of mood disorders, such as depression. Lack of sleep and depression are so closely linked that insomnia or difficulty sleeping is one of the most common symptoms of depression. They have a bidirectional relationship, which means that a lack of sleep can contribute to the development of depression and vice versa. This complex relationship shows that sleep can seriously impair your ability to regulate your mood.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
Sleep is also important to our body’s production of helpful hormones. These hormones help us regulate the effects of stress, such as inflammation. Without proper sleep, we are at greater risk of these effects. Additionally, when we’re stressed, the muscles in our bodies can tense up without us noticing. This tenseness paired with inflammation can lead to increased blood pressure, faster heart rates, and an inflamed circulatory system.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