Causes and little-known effects of sleep deprivation

Almost all of us have had to struggle with insomnia at some point in our lives. There have always been nights where we couldn't sleep for various reasons, we kept tossing and turning in bed all night, and couldn't blink our eyes. Situations where we do not get enough sleep or experience a quality night's sleep can be defined as sleep deprivation. There may be many factors underlying the lack of sleep that can cause us to feel weak, sluggish, tired, unhappy and restless the next day and the other days following sleepless nights; and sleep deprivation can have broader negative effects than we realize. In the continuation of our article, you can find the causes and little-known effects of sleep deficiency.

Causes of lack of sleep

Adequate sleep for adults is in the range of 7-8 hours. Sleeping less or not getting any sleep is defined as sleep deprivation. A variety of physical, emotional or environmental reasons may underlie sleep deprivation:

Advancing age: The effects of aging that occur with age can cause sleep deprivation. Problems such as drugs used and health problems related to old age can prevent a person from getting sleep.

Stress and anxiety: Negative thoughts that often preoccupy the mind can disrupt sleep by increasing stress levels or causing a person to develop anxiety disorders.

Various diseases: Diseases such as depression, schizophrenia, paralysis, Alzheimer's, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, cancer, narcolepsy, epilepsy, hyperactivity and attention deficit, which reduce the quality of life and prevent the person from feeling well, and cause various pains and negative thoughts to develop, lead to sleep deprivation. may cause.

Adverse physical conditions: Adverse physical conditions in the bedroom can prevent a person from falling asleep or having a quality sleep experience. Factors such as being too hot or cold in the room, lack of proper lighting or noise can be among these reasons.

Parenting: Newborn babies or toddlers may wake up frequently at night because they need to be fed or comforted; this can cause parents to suffer from sleep deprivation almost most of the time.

Business hours: People who work in shifts or work in jobs that require frequent travelling, and those who work in professions with irregular working hours such as pilot and hostess may experience sleep deprivation because they cannot have a regular sleep routine.

Lack of sleep hygiene: A quality sleep is directly related to a comfortable and comfortable environment. Sweating bedding or pajamas made of itchy fabric can cause sleep deprivation as they will reduce the sleep quality of the person.

Personal preferences: Some people may choose to sleep less or perhaps spend some nights without sleep for a variety of reasons. Different demands such as work, school, socialization can prevent the person from realizing that he needs enough sleep.

Little-known effects of sleep deprivation

Feeling sluggish after a sleepless night, not being able to find the energy to do anything, being depressed can be easily noticed or the first effects of lack of sleep that come to mind. Memory problems, possible accident risks, decreased awareness, physical-mental fatigue may also be at the top of the list of effects of sleep deprivation. However, the effects of sleep deprivation are not all that much.

1. Weak immune system

Have you ever noticed that when you are sick you feel like you need more sleep? Dr. According to Dasgupta, while asleep, our immune system works much better, getting ready to fight diseases. For this reason, the rest of your sleep weakens the body and can be damaged more easily.

2. High blood pressure

Dr. "If you're having trouble controlling your blood pressure, maybe you should take a look at your sleep before seeking out more medication," Dasgupta says. He emphasizes the relationship between sleep and blood pressure. Insomnia is associated with increased blood pressure levels, so over time, lack of sleep is likely to predispose to cardiovascular disease as well as high blood pressure.

3. Unbalanced blood sugar level

Dr. Dasgupta points out that one of the effects of sleep deprivation is unstable blood sugar levels. According to Dasgupta, 'homeostasis', which defines the body's being in balance, can pose a threat to overall health as it can be disrupted by fluctuating blood sugar levels.

4. Decreased creativity

Dr. According to Robbins, a common effect of sleep deprivation can be brain fog, which can occur with difficulty concentrating. For this reason, someone who is sleep deprived may have difficulty designing a new project, painting, coloring a picture or creating anything else, enriching the existing one. People who experience sleep deprivation are likely to have decreased creativity.

5. Making riskier decisions

How realistic do you think it is that you are likely to make the right decisions while you are sleep deprived? Dr. According to Robbins, when you don't get enough sleep, you can make decisions you wouldn't normally think of. Lack of sleep can negatively affect the decision-making process of the person, pushing them to act more impulsively and take risky steps.

6. Feeling of not being satiated

Dr. Robbins draws attention to the fact that the message of satiety reaches the brain late after a meal because the signals to the brain are slower than normal in case of insomnia. Studies show that people who sleep less may take longer than normal to feel full despite eating enough because their appetite-regulating hormones are out of balance.

7. Increased impulsivity

We may have difficulties in interpersonal conflicts even when we are energized and sleepy, but we can often overcome them with our communication skills, the power of empathy and understanding. Dr. According to Robbins, in case of lack of sleep, we may be inclined to only show our reaction instead of trying to understand and respond in discussions. This is because the amygdala, which is responsible for controlling our reactions in the brain, does not work properly in the case of insomnia. In short, if you are experiencing sleep deprivation, it is useful to stay away from discussions.

If you rarely experience sleep deprivation in your life or if you observe that it occurs from time to time due to various physical and environmental factors and then returns to normal, we can say that you do not need to worry too much. However, if you are having trouble falling asleep frequently and you are noticing that your sleepless nights are increasing, it would be beneficial to seek the support of a specialist to cope with chronic sleep problems, to discover the underlying causes and to find appropriate treatment methods.