Sleep Deprivation: Effects On Mental And Physical Health

Sleep Deprivation, as the name suggests, is a condition where a person is not able to get the proper sleep. This condition can be acute or chronic. In both the cases, this can have bad effects on health. We are aware that our body needs enough sleep so that it can get the proper amount of rest.

Not only that, while we’re sleeping, the body also gets all those energy back which was lost during the day time. When a body doesn’t get a proper amount of sleep, it gets affected in various ways. The entire body’s system also gets affected.

Physical:

Those who suffer from sleep deprivation have the chance of getting the following health problems:

1)    High blood pressure

2)    Diabetes

3)    Stroke

4)    Heart attack

5)    Weight gain or weight loss

6)    Low sex drive

7)    Low healing process

8)    Dark circles near the eyes

9)    May increase risk of death as the person might get microsleeps. This normally lasts for a few seconds to half a minute. In such situation, a person would go to sleep no matter what kind of activity she/he is involved.

10)  Increased risk of virus infection as in cold and flu.

11)  Daytime sleep

12)  It was found in a study that if a woman sleeps less than 7 hours then she has a chance of getting cancer.

13)  Sleep paralysis; which is a situation where you’re awake but are not able to move your body. This lasts for a short time and can give a bad experience to a person.

Mental:

Apart from the physical effects, sleep deprivation has certain mental effects too. This could be:

1)    Confusion

2)    Memory loss

3)    Depression

4)    Hallucination

5)    Mood shift

6)    Concentration problem

7)    Low creativity

8)    Can’t able to think logically

9)    Decreased optimism

10)  Less social activity

11)  Stress

12)  Lower quality of life

13)  Attention deficit hyperactive disorder

14)  Less skill of coordination

The above were the two common types of effects of sleep deprivation. It is important that every person should take the minimum amount of rest. Without the proper sleep, a person won’t be able to work properly. And, the study shows that the sleep deprivation can also lead to the death of a person. It is important that one takes care of this fact and sleep well.

The study also shows that one should at least get 7-8 hours of sleep. In those hours, your body recovered all those energies and rest which is needed for it to function properly. So, never consider sleeping less. Make sure that you’re taking the appropriate amount of rest. In any case, if you happen to get any of the symptoms, then it is better that you get yourself a proper solution. So, allow your body to get the right amount of rest.