5 Dangers Sleep Deprivation Has to Your Health

Amy Taylor March 01, 2013

Indeed, people are much busier these days than they were decades ago. Many complain of not having the time to finish all their tasks – office work, house chores, etc. If you are one of these people, you’re probably in a habit of stretching time to accommodate all the things you need to do, even if that means sleeping less!

You might think reducing your sleeping time for an hour or two could do you no harm. Well, you have to think again. According to experts, sleep deprivation does have serious health effects and in the long run, could lead to life-threatening illnesses.

Here are the top reasons why you shouldn’t sleep less than the recommended hours:

You become vulnerable to memory problems

If you want to increase your chance of scoring high in your exams, or doing well in your next presentation at work, make sure to have enough sleep days before the big day. Or else, you might experience memory lapses, studies reveal. Deep sleep is crucial to the formation of neuronal connections between different brain areas, particularly those that are involved in memory formation, retention and retrieval. Memory processes have been shown to be improved by nocturnal sleep, and even by daytime naps.

You’ll get more stressed than ever!

Imagine yourself having no sleep for almost 24 hours. Surely, you will be in a ‘zombie’ mode! Lack of sleep saps your energy, causes you headache and body pain, makes you irritable and anxious, and ruins your mental prowess. And when you’re experiencing all these, even the lightest activities like walking the dog, watering the plants, and dropping by at the grocery store can become very much overwhelming!

Stress and sleep goes hand in hand. It is possible that you lack sleep that’s why you are stressed, or you are stressed that’s why you lack sleep! So don’t forget to spoil yourself a little. Engage in relaxing and stress-busting activities like yoga, meditation, physical workout, recreation, and others.

You become less hopeful and less friendly.

Lack of sleep can negatively impact your mood. As mentioned, sleep deprivation can make you feel anxious, irritable, and even depressed. And when you are surrounded by all these negative emotions, you are more likely to become pessimistic no matter how optimistic you naturally are. And when you stick to the negative, the way you deal with others can be compromised. You may not have enough energy to socialise with your friends and meet new ones.

You won’t be able to concentrate properly.

Did you know that every year, thousands of people get involved in car accidents due to lack of sleep? Poor quality of sleep brings serious damage to your brain, which exposes you to varying mental health problems, including poor concentration. Sleep deprivation is physically stressful. It triggers your body to release stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol that could give you a short boost but can hit back on your health overtime. Persistent high levels of stress hormones make you jittery, and in turn reduce your ability to concentrate.

You become less creative.

Being creative as well as innovative is what you need to stand out in this highly competitive world. But if you lack quality sleep, you are also depriving yourself with the opportunity to be as creative as you can be. A growing body of research suggests that lack of sleep can negatively affect major cognitive processes, including intelligence, emotions, rational thinking, and decision-making.

Even though the scientific community has still a long way to go in understanding the relationship between quality sleep and mental and physical health, it is clear that depriving yourself of sleep can do you more harm than good. So tonight, make sure you go to bed early and pamper yourself with a good, deep sleep!

Dear Readers,

What are the healthy habits you do when you can’t sleep?

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