The Ripple Effects of Sleep Deprivation

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The Ripple Effects of Sleep Deprivation

As the world advances, more people could exhibit particular behaviours that may entail the need to have fun, work or study for extended hours. Besides, disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia, and anxiety could lead to loss of sleep (Mysliwiec et al., 2013). Accordingly, not sleeping for the recommended duration of around eight hours a day could result in catastrophic consequences. Previous studies suggest that enough sleep promotes proper functions of the brain and body by allowing them to restore their chemical balance, develop and heal (Health Line, 2020). Even so, common signs of insufficient sleep could entail daytime fatigue, irritability, yawning and excessive sleepiness. Besides, the adverse consequences of lack of sleep tend to attract ripple effects by expanding and worsening over time.

Brain Damage

Extended sleep deprivation leads to exhaustion and damage to the brain. Since sleep plays crucial roles in ensuring that the brain remains healthy and works properly, inadequacy or lack of it could result in detrimental consequences. As one of the most vital organs of the body, the brain acts as the main controller of virtually every human activity as well as psychological and biological processes. Hence, damage to the brain would render humans less effective and efficient. Accordingly, a person may behave awkwardly due to brain damage. Specifically, lack of sleep facilitates Alzheimer’s brain damage following high-production and distribution of tau in the brain.

Moreover, inadequate or lack of sleep leads to undesired changes in mood (Pilcher & Huffcutt, 1996). Specifically, sleep deprivation adversely impacts on certain functions of the brain. In the short-run, persons without enough sleep tend to be quick-tempered, emotional and moody. Unfortunately, the situation could escalate and worsen, leading to depression and anxiety. Although anxiety acts as one of the factors that lead to loss of sleep, the opposite is true. That is, lack of sleep leads to anxiety. Besides, sleep deprivation worsen anxiety, hence, making it more difficult for the victim to sleep (Sanders, 2018). Therefore, sleep deprivation causes a change in mood, which in turn lead to anxiety and depression at the long-run.

Also, insufficient or absence of sleep impairs concentration and thinking (Ratcliff & Van Dongen, 2018). Since inadequacy of sleep weakens the performance of the different parts of the brain, a victim would exhibit certain characteristics such as poor problem-solving capacities, creativity and concentration. Similarly, memory issues emerge from sleep deprivation. Since the brain utilizes sleep periods to establish and develop vital connections that facilitate processing and remembrance of new information, short- and long-term memory loss could occur due to inadequacy of sleep.

Accidents and Conflicts

As adverse effects of sleep deprivation occur, an individual and other members of the community could encounter related consequences. Since lack of sleep impairs certain functions of the brain, a victim would be more prone to errors and mistakes that may attract fatal accidents (Health Line, 2020). For instance, lack of concentration could increase the chances of road accidents among drivers. Likewise, the inadequacy of sleep results in poor body balance, which in turn, renders an individual more prone to accidental falls and related accidents. When lack of sleep compromises with the brain’s essential functions of the brain that facilitate balance, an individual would experience imbalances.

Moreover, a quick-tempered and moody individual with poor problem-solving capabilities could appear unsocial. Subsequently, an individual would engage in more conflicts and fights with other members of the community. Hence, the adverse effects of deprivation of sleep would escalate and affect more people in the community.

Poor Immune System

Sleep deprivation would discourage development and operation of the immune system. The immune systems tend to rely primarily on sleep time to generate vital protective elements, including cytokines that are essential for the body on matters regarding the fight and prevention of diseases. Besides, the body heals and grows as one sleeps. Therefore, deprivation of sleep would discourage the development of the immunes system as well as significant healing and growth processes. Since the body rids itself of toxic byproducts during sleep times, such harmful elements would accumulate to high levels during instances of sleep deprivation (Health Line, 2020). As such, an individual could become more prone to ailments because the body cannot fight pathogens nor clear toxic byproducts effectively.   

Poor Health

Insufficient sleep tends to accelerate the development of lifestyle and chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and cardiac arrest. Since sleep serves as the period through which the body rests, sleep deprivation means no rest. Instead, the body and brain would be overworked by sleep deprivation. Moreover, the lack of sleep would negatively affect the production of vital hormones that facilitate essential processes like digestion. Precisely, insufficient sleep negatively affects the production of ghrelin and leptin hormones that control feelings of fullness and hunger (Health Line, 2020). As a result, an individual could exhibit high appetite that attracts more food consumption, hence increasing chances of becoming obese. Still, sleep deprivation could render a person exhausted, hence discouraging participation in important physical activities that facilitate the development of muscles and use of calories (Patrick et al., 2017). Therefore, obesity seems to be inevitable among persons who encounter lack or inadequacy of sleep.

Consequently, obesity could facilitate the development of other disorders such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attack. For instance, excessive body weight would result in overworking of vital body organs like the kidneys, lungs and the heart. Subsequently, such organs could feel overwhelmed and may cease to function if adequate rest is not available. Also, the lack of sleep would trigger the body to generate excess insulin. Since insulin controls sugar levels in the blood, an individual would probably experience type 2 diabetes from the large volumes of insulin (Health Line, 2020). Therefore, lack of sleep disrupts the normal functioning of the body, thus attracting more health complications.

Breakage of Families and other Sex-associated Relationships

Insufficient sleep leads to poor sexual performance because it attracts low libido. Specifically, poor sleep could lead to a decline in the generation of vital sex hormones, including testosterone in men and estrogen in women (Health Line, 2020). Accordingly, families and other persons whose connections rely mainly on sexual activities could disintegrate. Instead, blames, serrations, and divorces could ensue due to the failure for either of the engaged parties to accomplish their roles and responsibilities.

Death

Additionally, chronic sleep deprivation could result in the death of an individual. Various aspects that may entail physical accidents, ailments and organ failures could lead to the death of a person. For instance, a lack of sleep triggers a stroke that causes death (Aguirre, 2015). Therefore, lack of sleep could indirectly lead to death by facilitating other events such as stroke, high- blood pressure and diabetes.

Conclusion

Overall, sleep deprivation attracts ripple consequences that tend to worsen over time. Although minor symptoms and signs such as sleepiness, fatigue, and yawning signify inadequacy of sleep in the short-run, other catastrophic consequences could occur at the long-run. Such worst impacts may include the poor immune system, brain damage, accidents and conflicts, and breakage of families and relationships that rely basically on sex for their existence. Eventually, sleep deprivation would lead to death by facilitating the occurrence of such events as stroke and accidents. Still, the varied adverse consequences of sleep inadequacy tend to be interrelated as evidenced with the linked. Therefore, insufficient or lack of sleep is a serious aspect that draws devastating consequences that multiply and worsen over time.

References

Aguirre, C. (2015). What would happen if you didn’t sleep? – Claudia Aguirre. Retrieved 14 March 2020, from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-would-happen-if-you-didn-t-sleep-claudia-aguirreHealth Line. (2020). 11 Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Your Body. Retrieved 14 March 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body#8

Mysliwiec, V., Gill, J., Lee, H., Baxter, T., Pierce, R., Barr, T. L., … & Roth, B. J. (2013). Sleep disorders in US military personnel: a high rate of comorbid insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea. Chest, 144(2), 549-557.

Patrick, Y., Lee, A., Raha, O., Pillai, K., Gupta, S., Sethi, S., … & Smith, S. F. (2017). Effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive and physical performance in university students. Sleep and biological rhythms, 15(3), 217-225.

Pilcher, J. J., & Huffcutt, A. I. (1996). Effects of sleep deprivation on performance: a meta-analysis. Sleep, 19(4), 318-326.

Ratcliff, R., & Van Dongen, H. (2018). The effects of sleep deprivation on item and associative recognition memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 44(2), 193.

Sanders, L. (2018). A lack of sleep can induce anxiety | Science News. Retrieved 14 March 2020, from https://www.sciencenews.org/article/lack-sleep-can-induce-anxiety