Problems Caused Due to the Lack of Sleep

The fast-paced world we live in today has turned us into hard-working individuals who are left with little time for ourselves. Such is our obsession with study, work, and our will to succeed that we overlook important aspects of our health that build up over time and creep up on us when we least expect them to. A very highly overlooked part of our daily routine is sleep. The time we spend sleeping is the most important part of our day. Sleep helps our body relax, rejuvenate, de-stress and gear up for the challenges that come our way when we wake up.

The Problem

Experts have highlighted the importance of sleep the world over since the advent of modern medicine and this recommendation resonates in discussions around the world when we talk about road accidents, public safety hazards, weakened immune systems, and declining cognitive ability. Lack of sleep has been the single most important reason in disasters like Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and Davis-Besse. Every year, sleeplessness costs more lives on the roads, in hospitals, and at other public places. The lack of sleep has been attributed to a more public loss of life than any other cause globally.

For the last 50 years, Sanrai Med has been at the forefront of end-user medical technology in India. They have been consistently educating people about the dangers of lack of sleep and how they can manage this by using advanced technology to ensure fewer sick days at work and lowered accident rates.

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Signs that you might be sleep-deprived

Sleep deprivation is highlighted by various tell-tale signs that include:

• Yawning
• Irritability
• Fatigue at daytime
• Drowsiness

Although our home-cooked method of fixing this deprivation is usually just ingesting caffeine, that is not enough to overcome our urge to sleep. These also make the existing situation worse by making it much harder to fall asleep at night, creating a cycle of night-time insomnia. Sleep deprivation affects our entire body and our life in more ways than we can imagine. Here is our 10-point list that can explain the effects of the lack of sleep on our lives:

1. Accidents

Sleep deprivation has caused many major accidents around the world. The most well-known incident which was reportedly caused by the impaired judgement of a sleepy workforce was the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl. Other accidents include Three Mile Island and another one was the major oil spill from the Exxon Valdez tanker. On public roads, sleepiness can severely impact reaction times for drivers and according to a study by Jama, fatigue is a significant cause of death on public roads. In the US, sleepy teens cause over 10% of the car crashes in a year.

2. Cognitive Ability

The lack of sleep impairs our ability to think and learn new things. As our alertness and concentration are impaired, we find it difficult to reason and solve complex problems. This affects our learning ability and in the consolidation of memories. If we do not sleep enough, it will be difficult for us to recollect what we learned the previous day.

3. Co-morbidities

Sleeplessness and the lack of sleep can cause multiple health problems. According to a recent survey, individuals with sleep disorders and chronic sleep deprivation also suffer from another health condition. Some of these include:

• Heart disease
• Hypertension
• Arrhythmia
• Stroke
• Diabetes

4. Mental Health

Lack of sleep almost always affects mental health. According to a poll conducted in 2005 by Sleep in America, those diagnosed with depression or anxiety were most likely to sleep less than 6 hours a night.
Insomniacs almost always suffer from depression and according to ICD 10, insomnia is considered one of the earliest symptoms of depression.

5. Skin Elasticity and Premature Ageing of Skin

Cortisol, a hormone released when you are stressed can break down skin collagen when produced in excess. Collagen keeps the skin smooth and elastic. There is a direct relation between the lack of sleep and the increased production of cortisol. This is exhibited by puffy eyes, fine lines and sallow skin along with dark circles under the eyes of those who are sleep deprived.

6. Reduced Libido

According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in 2002, men with sleep apnea also have low testosterone levels. In the study, nearly 50% of the men who suffered from sleep apnea also had abnormally low levels of testosterone during the night.
Depleted energy, sleepiness, and increased tension may be largely to blame for a reduced interest in sex that plagues both men and women who are sleep deprived.

7. Memory Loss

Memory is stored and consolidated for long-term use in the brain through events called Sharp Wave Ripples. These events only occur during deep sleep. Individuals who are sleep deprived do not have a sharp memory and often forget events that occurred the previous day or recently.

8. Weight Gain

Lack of sleep is often associated with the increase in the production of Ghrelin, a hormone that promotes hunger. Sleep-deprived individuals are often hungrier than usual and in turn end up eating more than they need, causing obesity. Sleeplessness and insomnia are considered causal factors for obesity.

9. Increased Mortality Rates and Risk of Death

Decreased sleep has a direct connection to increased risks of cardiovascular diseases. A study done on over 10,000 British civil servants revealed that those who slept less than 7 hours a day were at a much higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to those who slept 7 hours or more.

10. Impaired Judgement

The lack of sleep impairs our judgement and often causes sleep-deprived individuals to feel that they have adapted to the reduced number of hours they sleep in a day, creating a vicious cycle. This was quantified by research conducted by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Testing these individuals further for mental alertness and performance showed that their performance steadily declined as the tests progressed, showcasing lowered judgement levels.

Sleeplessness caused by factors like sleep apnea can easily be managed using CPAP machines. These machines are available in India through Sanrai Med, a special medical equipment provider with over 50 years of experience in the medical devices industry.

Sleeping enough is extremely important for a healthy lifestyle. Sleep boosts your immune system, manages your weight, and helps you improve your memory retention. Good sleep practices will result in a healthier you.