Sleepless nights are something we all experience and yes we feel terrible when we have them. Besides the obvious irritability and sluggishness, we experience, what happens to our brain during these restless nights? 

The amount of sleep a person gets each night has a huge impact on their daily and long-term health. Sleeping too little over a long period of time is associated with learning and memory issues, as well as medical conditions such as diabetes and obesity. Studies show that a lack of sleep can be detrimental to an individual’s health as it can strongly alter their moods, therefore their choices. Additionally, chronic feelings of sleepiness are correlated with mood disturbances such as anger, depression, and irritability.

Signs of sleep deprivation:

• You are always hungry
• You are more impulsive
• You are always tired
• You have trouble concentrating
• Your vision is off
• You feel overly emotional

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the average adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep each night to achieve optimal health and a normal sleep/wake cycle. Throughout the years, research has been gathered showing the impact of a person’s quality of sleep and performance in life. This can relate to performance at work/school, social ability, and overall attitude about life. Additional research has been collected showing the effects of sleep deprivation and how it affects the human body and brain.

There are many reasons why adults cannot achieve seven to nine hours of sleep per night. From preparing for a presentation, staying up with your children to complete a project, or not a good example, binging your favorite show, most adults are not sleeping an optimal amount. Many times people cannot stay asleep because of stimulants that disrupt their circadian rhythm, these include coffee and energy drinks. Other factors that can negatively affect sleep is an individual who is constantly traveling, and the exposure to electronic devices before bed.

Having a few sleepless nights may not seem like a big deal to some, although there is more than what meets the eye. Sleep deprivation has many underlying effects on one’s body, and specifically, the human brain. 

How Your Brain Is Affected

Sleeping is one way to avoid overworking your brain. Often times, when a person achieves the right amount of sleep, they perform better at work and are overall happier about life. Most people go through like only sleeping a few hours a night, especially those in healthcare fields. While four hours of sleep may be enough for you to get through the day, recent studies on sleep show otherwise. A study published in Sleep Journal gathered 48 adults who were told to only sleep 4, 6 or 8 hours every night for two weeks. The study showed that getting four hours of sleep every night leads to poor functioning during the day. Also, how sleeping for six hours a night is as equally draining as someone who is sleep-deprived for two days.

Slowed Brain Activity 

Recent research shows that in patients who are severely lacking sleep, neurotic activity in the brain slows down leading to inadequate brain functioning. As the patients were becoming more physically tired as time passed by, the movement of their brain cells also seemed to slow down. Researchers compared these findings to people who excessively consume alcohol and found relatively matching results. This concludes that a lack of sleep can lead to low scores in mental performance.

Driving On No Sleep

Besides trouble with learning and memory, there are other dangers associated with sleep deprivation. The study also shows that a lack of sleep can lead to temporary lapses in vision. With slower brain waves from the lack of sleep, it is suggested that certain parts of the brain may turn off when the person is in the awake state. Lapses in vision can lead to mistakes being made when driving such as underestimating the space between you and the car in front of you. 

An exhausted driver can be as dangerous as an intoxicated driver as both have issues maintaining alertness. This represents how getting enough sleep affects you and everyone around you. The results of the studies raise concerns for individuals working in healthcare, as most severely sleep-deprived. Doctors and nurses are known for working long hours which makes them more susceptible to fall asleep at the wheel or have difficulty driving. Although at this time, there isn’t a measure that can prevent that from happening. 

Kidney Functioning 

The kidney’s function is to remove waste products from the blood, and this important process can be affected by a lack of sleep. Similarly to the kidney, the brain can experience difficulty functioning properly due to a person’s poor sleep habits. If an individual is having trouble sleeping for a long period of time, it can start affecting the functions of organs and lead to larger health problems. This is why it is recommended to see a doctor when you consistently have trouble sleeping. 

The importance of getting proper sleep cannot be emphasized enough. A person’s health and alertness are very dependent on how well-rested they are. To feel your best and perform well in life you need to get your seven to nine hours of sleep. Severe sleep deprivation should be taken seriously as it can lead to both physical and mental health problems long-term.