Here Are Some Significant Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Human Body
Whenever you spent a night tossing and turning, you will feel tired, cranky, and out of sorts the next day. It is scientifically recommended that you should sleep for at least 7 to 9 hours. The long term effects of sleep deprivation are very dangerous. It flushes out your mental abilities and puts your physical health at risk.
Sleep deprivation is caused by a consistent lack of sleep or reduced quality of sleep. Getting 7 hours of proper sleep may eventually lead to health consequences that affect your entire body. Your body needs food, air, as well as sleep to function at its best. During sleep, your body automatically heals itself and restores its chemical balance. At that time, your brain creates a new connection that helps memory retention. Without proper sleep, your brain and body systems won’t function normally. Apart from this, chronic sleep deprivation can interfere with the internal system of your body that causes more than just the initial signs and symptoms like irritability, daytime fatigue, excessive sleepiness, yawning, etc. The followings are effects due to sleep deprivation.
1. Central Nervous System
a) Your central nervous system is introduced as the information highway of your body. So, to keep the functioning properly, sleep is necessary for your health.
b) Chronic insomnia may disrupt that how your body usually sends information.
c) During your sleep, the connection between the neurons (nerve cells) in your brain which helps you to remember new things which you have learned.
d) Due to sleep deprivation, your brain slowly gets exhausted. For which, it cannot work properly.
e) It also affects your mental abilities as well as your emotional state. It can also hamper in creativity and decision-making process.
f) There may be a chance that you could start having hallucinations. There are some other psychological risks associated with that such as anxiety, depression, Suicidal thoughts, impulsive behaviors, paranoia, etc.
2. Immune System
a) During your sleep, your immune system produces infection-fighting, protective substances like cytokines.
b) It combats with foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria by using these substances.
c) Cytokines help you in sleeping and also it gives your immune system more energy to defend your body against illness.
d) Long term deprivation may also increase the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
3. Respiratory System
a) The link between the respiratory system and sleep goes in both ways.
b) It may cause a nighttime breathing disorder called “Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)” that can impact your sleep and gradually lower the quality.
c) Sleep deprivation may lead to some vulnerable respiratory infections like flu or the common cold.
d) It can also cause some existing respiratory diseases like chronic lung illness.
4. Digestive System
a) As sleep affects the levels of two hormones such as ghrelin and leptin that control the feelings of hunger, it may be the risky for overweight and obesity.
b) Here, leptin suggests your brain to that how much you have to eat. Without enough sleep, your brain reises ghrelin by reducing leptin. This is an appetite stimulant.
c) Lack of sleep can also make you feel tired. It reduces the physical activities that can make you gain weight.
d) Sleep deprivation also encourages your body to release higher levels of insulin after you eat.
e) Insulin helps in controlling the blood sugar level of your body. Higher insulin levels promote fat storage and also increases your risk for type 2 diabetes.
5. Cardiovascular System
a) Sleep deprivation hampers the processes that keep your blood vessels and heart-healthy. It also affects the process of maintaining the blood sugar level, inflammation levels, and blood pressure level.
b) It has also participated in healing and repairing the blood vessels and heart.
c) The people who are suffering from sleep deprivation, they may get to cardiovascular disease.
d) There is an analysis that is linked to an increased risk of heart stroke or heart attack.
6. Endocrine System
a) Your body produces a lot of hormones. And they all depend upon your sleep. For the production of testosterone, you must need at least three hours of proper sleep.
b) The interruption during sleep can also affect the growth of hormone production, especially in children and adolescents.
c) These hormones help in building muscle mass as well as repairing cells and tissues.
d) The pituitary gland repeatedly releases the growth hormones. But sleep and exercise may also help in increasing the release of this home.
Now, here are some negative effects of not getting enough sleep. They are explained below;
1. Impaired memory – Deep sleep stimulates the formation of a link between cells and REM sleep aids in memory formation.
2. Decreased Sociability & Optimism – It is an effort we have to put into other factors, sleep deprivation makes us less friendly and less hopeful.
3. Increased resting blood pressure – It is found from several studies that sleep deprivation leads to induced blood pressure along with hypertension or pre-hypertension.
4. Increased risk of cardiac morbidity – There are many reasons including sleep deprivation which may lead to risk of heart attacks. Some experimental sleep deprivation may increase inflammation associated with the future development of cardiovascular diseases.
5. Increased appetite and food consumption – Not having proper sleep enhances the response of processing in the brain underlying the drive to consume food. It may increase the level of obesity.
6. Impaired innovation & creativity – Not having proper sleep may affect cognitive processes that rely on the experience of your emotions.
7. Lower stress threshold – When you are tired from your daily routine activities, you must need proper rest or sleep. And if you are not getting it, it may increase your stress level.
Shipra blends expertise with creativity to deliver insightful articles across various niches such as health, tourism, sports, technology & business, and strives to provide authentic information to worldwide readers.