EFFECTS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION

By: Halimat Sunmonu

Sleep deprivation is a condition that occurs when you experience one or both of the following: sleeping at the wrong time or lack of enough sleep.

Chronic health issues like heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, and depression are all associated with sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep is also associated with an increased risk of injury in adults, teenagers, and kids.

Lack of sleep can cause the following highlighted issues:

• Cognitive problems:

Even one night of insufficient sleep can cause serious cognitive (thinking) problems. Memory, reasoning, and problem-solving abilities in the brain, as well as reaction time and awareness, can all deteriorate.

• Forgetfulness

In addition to making you forgetful, a growing body of research shows that lack of sleep affects learning. According to research, sleep is essential for the process of assimilating new information in the brain. In other words, to commit to memory new knowledge, we need to get enough sleep.

• Risk of automobile accidents.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, getting less than six hours of sleep each night increases your risk of being a victim of an automobile accident by three times. Shift workers, truck drivers, business travellers, and anyone else who works long or irregular hours are the most vulnerable. If you are not getting enough sleep, think twice before driving.

• Depression

Insomnia and depression feed on each other. Sleep deprivation often aggravates the symptoms of depression, and depression can make it more difficult to fall asleep. On the positive side, treating insomnia can help depression and its symptoms, and vice versa.

• Skin ageing

Most people have experienced a withering skin tone and puffy eyes after a few nights of no sleep. It turns out that chronic sleep deprivation can lead to lacklustre skin, fine lines, and dark circles under the eyes.