The Alarming
Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Nowadays, not having enough sleep
is quite common. With deadlines to meet and more things to do at work, school
and even work; feeling a bit woozy in the middle of the day is now considered
normal. We usually do our best to counteract the drowsiness with a cup of
coffee or a caffeine-laden energy drink like red bull.
During the week, we all try to make up for lost
sleep on a weekend. Sleeping in on a weekend is really not the optimum way of
getting enough sleep. Adults need about 7 to 8 hours of sleep within the
24-hour period. But most of that get way less more sleep than that. The average
time an adult spends time sleeping in a day is 5 to 6 hours, sometimes even
less. Surprisingly, we do get by even with inadequate sleep. But sleep should
never be taken for granted.
What are the Alarming Effects of Sleep Deprivation?
Loss
of Memory
During
sleep, our brain cells regenerate and heal synapses within our brain to
maintain and even improve our memory and learning functions. Going on without
sleep will lead us to easily forget some of the things that we easily remember.
There is also sufficient study that there is poor performance in writing and
speaking with sleep deprivation. If you abuse your body too much, and work more
than sleep; it won’t be far that one day even your memories will be a thing of
the past forever.
Depression
Lack
of sleep can cause one to go deep into depression. Serotonin is a chemical that
mediates the regeneration of our brain cells. Serotonin is also considered as
that chemical that gives people that happy feeling. In deep sleep, serotonin
does its work to keep our brains in tiptop shape. It also helps maintain our
mood level to be in the happiness grade.
Obesity
People
who work overtime tends to look for other energy sources that will help keep
them awake. The easiest source of that energy boost can be in the form of a
cupcake, a burger or a serving of fries. Food with high calorie content is the
first thing that your brain will crave for when it feels weak from lack of
sleep. Sleep deprivation not only makes you a weak employee, but a very unhealthy
one too. However, there are instances that sleep deprivation can cause weight
loss to some. But the trend in research leans on weight gain rather than weight
loss.
Frailness
The
immune system will considerably become weak day after day if there is
insufficient amount of sleep. Sleep deprived individuals are more predisposed
in getting a cold, a cough or the flu way more often than those who have slept
well. During sleep our body regenerates and recharges, without sleep how can
the body fend off viruses and bacteria that are just in the air?
Death
Going
for days without sleep can ultimately kill you. The body can go on days without
water and food, but not without sleep. When the brain is unable to recharge for
long periods of time, it will shut down all the organ system – most especially
the heart, because it will not have enough energy to pump blood throughout the
body. Sleep deprivation can literally suck the life out of us.
Even with these alarmingly scary effects of sleep
deprivation, our body is far by one of the best machines around. When our brain
feels that it needs to sleep and rest, no amount of coffee or caffeine can keep
the body awake. Our brain will shut us down automatically. Keeping both our
brains and our body safe.
When you find yourself yawning more than usual, you are
getting sloppy with your tasks and becoming more forgetful. You are most
probably sleep deprived. Take short power naps of 15-30 minutes during break
once or twice a day.
And remember that a sleepy person behind the wheel of a car
is as dangerous as a drunk driver. Curl up somewhere and just let yourself go
to dreamland and wake up not only refreshed – but healthy too.
