Most, if not all, people around the world suffer from sleep deprivation at least at one point in their lives. Though experiencing it for a few times in a span of years is all right, since this may be mainly due to the fact of shifts in sleeping and waking or jetlag. Though experiencing sleep deprivation regularly (once a week, twice a month, etc) or constantly can pose a grave problem. When the body does not get enough rest, there can be serious repercussions. Both the mind and the body can be seriously affected by sleep deprivation, especially when the person suffers from it daily. Sleep or rest, an extremely basic necessity for us human beings to function properly (and yes, to live), helps the body recuperate from the daily stresses. Like a machine that gets broken because of overheating, the body will experience complications when it does not get enough rest. How sleep deprivation affects us should be taken seriously, and sleeping is no joke.
There are many adverse effects when people do not get enough sleep. Physiological effects can include eye bags, blurry vision, colorblindness, muscle pain, weakening of the immune system, headaches, fainting, nausea, dizziness, hypertension, hyperactivity, increase impatience and irritability, pale complexion, severe weight gain or weight loss, severe yawing, and many more. How sleep deprivation affect us also include depression, drowsiness and excessive daytime sleepiness, slowing down of mental activity and concentration, general confusion or being out-of-touch with reality, lapses or loss in memory, nystagmus (rapid involuntary rhythmic eye movement), and slurry speech, among many. Usually, symptoms of sleep deprivation are seen as not dissimilar with the symptoms of those who have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or alcoholic intoxication.
Even with all these disorders, there is a chance that sleep deprivation can affect the body’s metabolizing of glucose, and this can lead to diabetes. Sleep deprivation also has obvious effects on the brain, and sleeplessness is always a negative for the brain’s health and wellbeing. Sleep deprivation can also affect a person’s growth. Sleeplessness can reduce cortisol production the following day, and it can also suppress the production of growth hormones. Human growth hormone, most especially, is the hormone that stimulates cell repair and replacement, and plays a huge part in keeping the body’s complexion young, energetic, and sexually driven. Growth hormones can also make the mind sharper. As much as possible, the pituitary gland (which produces the human growth hormones) should never be obstructed when it comes to their hormone production. The problem with sleep deprivation is that it is extremely common, and the effects are so numerous, and even dangerous. Besides impairment of ability, sleep deprivation can also hinder the body’s healing process. Studies have found links between the sleep deprivation and how the body heals, and healing usually takes longer if the body is sleep deprived.
So always take care of your sleeping time. Sleep deprivation can be extremely harmful, and it is best to get a good night sleep. If sleeping disorders are the cause of sleep deprivation, immediately consult a doctor.
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Posted under Sleep Deprivation Effects
This post was written by admin on May 4, 2009
