Today, in the busy and noisy world, every one of us diving deep into the ocean of life, finding the corals of opportunities and pearls of success. And, in this journey, we need to comprise and sacrifice many things. One such necessity of our’s that we compromise a lot is sleep.
We are very aware of a good diet and exercise but unfortunately, we don’t have any sense of awareness regarding sleep and circadian rhythm. To lead a healthy and balanced life we rely on the importance of diet and exercise but not on the sleep cycle.
Research is done by,’ Centre for disease control and prevention ‘(CDC), on the sleep cycle. It shows that 1 of every 3 individuals lack the quality and amount of sleep required for balanced health.
Sleep deprivation.
A consistent lack of sleep or a reduced quality of sleep leads to sleep deprivation. Simply, it’s a state in which a person is deprived form the amount or quality of sleep.
Research shows that busy schedules, insomnia, emotional and professional disturbances are responsible for the sleep deprivation. Most of the individuals in the busy world cannot cope with ways to tackle the problems and to lead a healthy life because of the lack of sleep.
Being exhausted and not sleeping adequately disorders genes that rule the circadian rhythm, dramatically decreasing your capacity to perform.
Prominent indications of sleep deprivation:
- Irritability
- Excessive sleepiness in the daytime
- Incessant yawning
- Daytime fatigue
- Lack of focus
- Decreased alertness
Effects of sleep deprivation on our body.
A review of 2010 found that sleeping too little at night increases the risk of early death.
Sleep deprivation not only affects a single system or functioning of the body but rather it disturbs the overall well being of our body. Here. below given are the ill effects of sleep deprivation on different body systems.
Central nervous system.
It might be undoubtedly correct to say that the central nervous system is central to our body. That plays a significant role in the proper functioning of the body. The central nervous system is a significant pathway for information processing in our bodies.
Sleep deprivation can interrupt how your body usually transfers and processes the information. It can cause many disturbances in our daily life. If sleep deprivation continues for an extended interval of time, you can face, “hallucinations”. Hallucination is a state in which the human mind sees or hears the thing that isn’t there. It takes us into another mental state leading to decreased awareness and focus.
A lack of sleep can also trigger,” mania” [ A period of extremely high energy or mood associated with bipolar disorder.] in people who have,’ Bipolar mood disorder’. The bipolar mood disorder is a severe brain dysfunction in which a person undergoes sharp variations in thought processing, mood, and behavior patterns. It frequently addressed as manic depressive illness. Other disorders associated are:
- Impulsive behavior
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Restlessness
Digestive system
You might often listen, “ eating too much and not exercising leads to weight gain and obesity.” But, taking inadequate sleep can also make you prone to risks of weight gain.
Sleep governs the level of two hormones – Leptin and Ghrelin. Both hormones are responsible for the feeling of hunger and fullness respectively.
The major role of leptin in the body weight-regulation is to signal satiety to the hypothalamus and thus reduce dietary intake and fat storage. Simply, it signalizes your mind that your body has taken enough food.
Ghrelin is also known as,’ hunger hormone’ It’s significant function is its stimulatory impact on food consumption, fat deposition, and growth hormone release. And without adequate sleep, the brain raises the level of ghrelin and drops down the levels of leptin. This phenomenon results in weight gain.
Also, the shortage of sleep will cause your body to release less amount of insulin. As a result body’s glucose tolerance level lowers. These interruptions can lead to diabetes millets ( High blood sugar levels for a prolonged time) and obesity too.
Respiratory system.
The sleep deprivation and respiratory issues goes in both ways. Your respiratory issues may lead to sleep deprivation or your sleep deprivation may lead to respiratory issues. A nighttime breathing disorder called obstructive sleep apnea can cause sleep deprivation.
Sleep deprivation can lead to respiratory issues like common cold and flu. Much deterioration can cause chronic lung issues.
Immune system.
Sleep is very important for the body to heal and repair. When we sleep body releases infection-fighting antibodies and cytokines.
Antibodies and cytokines help the immune system to fight viruses and bacterias. They also, stimulate the immune system to resist diseases.
Endocrine system.
The endocrine system comprises various glands in the body. It includes the hypothalamus, pineal gland, pituitary gland, adrenal gland, and gonads.
The growth hormone is responsible for the growth of all body tissues. It is a somatotropic hormone released by the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is the master endocrine gland and is controlled by the hypothalamus.
In men, testosterone production requires a continuous sleep of 3 hours. Whereas in women, prolonged sleep deprivation can lead to fertility issues.
Other ill effects of sleep deprivation:
Sleep deprivation not only affects our physical health but also emotional health. Think, if you are not physically well being, how you could be emotionally well?
- Relationship stress
- Lack of alertness
- Decreased Quality of life
- Hypertension
- Depression
How much sleep does your body need?
Studies show that the body requires a sleep of an average of 7 hours. The requirement for sleep can vary according to the age of different people. So, it is not the number of hours of sleep that is key but rather the amount of renewal your body receives. Strive for deeper and richer sleep and not on the amount of sleep.
Here, is information about the ideal sleep requirement of the body according to age.
| Newborns | 14 to 17 hours |
| Toddlers | 11 to 14 hours |
| School-age children | 9 to 11 hours |
| Teenager | 8 to 10 hours |
| Adults | 7 to 9 hours |
| Older adults | 7 to 8 hours |
Ways to cure sleep deprivation.
- Avoid day time naps.
- Switch off the phone before one hour to bed.
- Eat a light meal or eat 4 hours before going to sleep.
- Honor your circadian rhythm
- Don’t consume caffeine and alcohol in four hours before sleep
- Sleep in a comfortable place.
- Practice pre-sleep rituals such as a warm bath or listening to the music of your choice.