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.