Sleep is an essential, non-negotiable part of human functioning.
It enables repair and restoration, clears our mind, and enhances a general state of well-being.
Losing even small amount of sleep daily could impact the way we function throughout the waking day.
But rather than being a celebrated part of our existance; sleep has become a guily pleasure for many.
Time spent asleep is considered wasted by many; and peope will take all kinds of stimulants to stay awake.
Here’s why the next time you are tempted to cut on sleep to finish some work; you shouldn’t!
It reduces your long term memory
People who are sleep deprived tend to forget facts and events; and have difficulty searching for any particular memory.
It seems that while we sleep, the brain organizes and archives our memories as well as everything that we learn during the day.
The Sharp Wave Ripples that are responsible for this occur only during the deepest periods of sleep. less sleep means less time to consolidate our learning; and thus, a less efficient filing of these memories.
Moral: Never skip sleep when cramming for an exam.
It reduces your short term memory
If you haven’t slept well the previous night, consider writing down everything you want to remember.
Studies show that people have rather inefficient short term memories when sleep deprived; and make more mistakes even with simple tasks. Adults and children alike suffer from attention deficits when they haven’t slept well.
Perhaps the most worrisome aspect of this is that people who lose a little sleep every night will over time suffer the same challenges that someone who’s not slept for one whole night experiences; but they are less likely to be aware that they are compromised.
Kills your brain cells
A very scary sounding impact of constantly losing sleep is that it may cause deterioration of brain cells.
While we get adequate sleep, the brain repairs weak cells and also clears useless information from our memory.
Less sleep means that one or both of these tasks remain incomplete; and our brain cells are under additional strain.
This could explain why the brains of sleep deprived persons seem to have fewer cells as well as lesser cortical volume – the brain just doesn’t the the change to rebuild tired cells or to allow new ones to grow.
Sleep deprivation’s most detrimental damage is seen in the case of LC or Locus Coeruleus neurons.
Consistently disturbed or inadequate sleep causes reduction in the numbers of these neurons in mice; and it is believed that the same may be happening for humans.
Since the LC area is implicated in various basic and complex brain functions; this suggests that not getting adequate sleep can severely compromise many abilities.
Lowers reaction time and reduced motor control
Most people tend to become clumsy with lack of sleep.
They also take longer to register a situation. Even when they do notice it, they may not be able to respond fast and/or accurately.
People who are sleep deprived show decreased functioning in a number of brain areas that are necessary to identify, evaluate and respond to problems.
This is the reason for both – the lack of speed, and the increase in errors.
Lack of sleep also interferes in using learned responses rapidly. Many times, these few extra seconds are crucial in avoiding a household or road accident.
Makes you crave junk food
Trying to eat healthy? Research suggests that you should get adequate sleep.
When we don’t get enough sleep, our brain – particularly the higher order thinking and reasoning areas – perform less than efficiently.
This means that we are more likely to choose high energy comfort foods over healthy meals.
Also, lack of sleep means that the brain and the body don’t get to make repairs; and are working with tired cells. Thus, they demand even more energy by making us crave calorie dense foods.
Increases risk for disease
Our body is actually very active while we sleep.
This is the time when cells are repaired, neural pathways are created, protective antibodies are created, and hormonal balance is established.
If we deprive the body of this time for repair and restoration, it has to continue functioning under less than optimal conditions. This means that there is greater strain on all our bodily systems.
This forces the body to use emergency mechanisms to function, and to increase the energy requirements for all our actions.
Sleep deprivation thus leads to increased levels of the stress hormone Cortisol, the hunger hormone Ghrelin, and the glucose metabolism hormone Insulin – a state that is difficult to sustain for the human body.
Since a sleep deprived body also does not get to complete it’s repairs, our overall immunity become compromised. The body actually performs like that of a much older person; suggesting that sleep is essential to combat the effects of aging.
Makes you accident prone
Sleepy people can have lapses in attention and memory that sometimes have disastrous consequences.
Sleep deprivation has been implicated in numerous road accidents, in mistakes made by medical professionals, and even in horrific incidents like the 1979 Three Mile Island and the 1986 Chernobyl ones.
Our lowered attention spans when sleep deprived can cause us to miss important information from our surroundings, which leads to making mistakes in judgement.
Turns you into an emotional wreck
On the whole, a sleep deprived person is more likely to be grumpy and irritable – in part because they are tired.
People run the risk of feeling burned out and depressed when they constantly get inadequate sleep.
In one study, although sleep deprived medical interns showed more empathy for their fellow humans; they were also more likely to feed dejected and sad about their own and others’ lives. Particularly, those who already suffer from depression are more sensitive to low mood when they don’t get enough sleep.
Night owls should take heart though.
One study showed that while the typical morning person experienced more symptoms of depression when sleep deprived; the typical night owl actually fared better after the occasional day without sleep.
It should be noted though that both, morning and evening people showed reduced energy and higher fatigue when sleep deprived.
Lowers your sex drive
Not getting enough sleep even makes people feel less inclined to have sex.
While women also experience this, it is particularly true for men; and has been linked to a reduced testosterone levels.
A study found that otherwise healthy young men experienced a 15% dip in testosterone after just a week of limited sleep.
This would explain why a lot of new parents aren’t interested in resuming baby-making activities – they just want to sleep. Of course, the lowered mood doesn’t help either!
Increases your risk of death
As if all these reasons weren’t scary enough, long term sleep deprivation can actually increase the risk of death; through reduced fitness as well as through the various (potentially lethal) mistakes we could make when sleepy.
Consistent sleep deprivation (sleeping for less than 7 hours a night) is linked to the risk for heart disease and stroke, and increase in blood pressure and obesity – all conditions that carry the risk of bodily harm and death.
The lowered cognitive abilities that are a side effect of sleep deprivation can also result in some fatal mistakes.
But lack of sleep in itself can also be fatal; likely because the body doesn’t get a chance to repair itself in anyway; and deteriorates rapidly as a consequence.
In rare instances, people develop disorders like Fatal familial insomnia, which makes it impossible for them to fall asleep; and eventually results in death.
In conclusion, we definitely do need our sleep; and should view the time spent sleeping as a stepping stone to health, happiness, and success rather than time lost or wasted.
