Sleep Deprivation: Research Paper

Introduction

Sleep is crucial to the body just like water and food. However, most people face insufficient sleep, inadequate quality of sleep or disruptions to their sleep cycle. All these refer to sleep deprivation that has effects on the way people operate during the day and result to fatigue and sleepiness. An individual who is sleepy fatigued is prone to accident and judgment impaired. They are thus likely to make bad decisions and mistakes. Also, it has been observed that staying awake for twenty-four hours results in reduced coordination between the hands and eyes. The paper will explore the causes and negative effects that sleep deprivation has on a person and the brain.

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Various factors may cause sleep deprivation. One of this is a personal choice. It has been observed that some people do not comprehend that the body requires sufficient sleep. As such, they do not go to bed at a reasonable hour and may even opt to stay up late watching television, reading or socializing. Sometimes, despite feeling fatigue, they still choose not to sleep. Also, sleep deprivation may be caused by work especially for people who work in shifts. In most cases, they usually disrupt their sleep cycles on a regular basis and readjusting becomes a problem. Besides, people who travel frequently also have inconsistent sleeping patterns. On the other hand, some illnesses have been observed to cause sleep deprivation. They include diseases such as tonsillitis and colds that lead to gagging, snoring and frequent waking up in the middle of the night or when one is deep asleep. All these are a severe disruption to people suffering from such illness numerous times ("Sleep Deprivation").

Sleep disorders are another cause of sleep deprivation. Sleep disorders are characterized by abnormal sleep patterns that lead to intrusion of the mental, physical and emotional functioning. As such, a sleep disorder is a condition that habitually affects the capability to obtain sufficient sleep. It is common to face complications sleeping infrequently. However, it is not common to frequently have complications getting sleep at night and later waking up tired or even feel sleepy during the day. Also, having trouble sleeping frequently can be a devastating and infuriating experience. One sleeps poorly at night which leaves them exhausted in the morning, and all the vigor they may have is drained rapidly during the day. Despite being so tired at night, one will still have trouble sleeping, and the cycle will continue. The condition is a sleep disorder which has an impact on mood, efficiency, energy and the capability to deal with stress ("Sleep Disorders And Problems: Symptoms, Treatment, And Self-Help"). It is thus apparent that sleep disorder is one of the significant causes of sleep deprivation.

On the other hand, some medications have been associated with sleep deprivation. A good night sleep may occur when one either changes or reduces the dosage of their medication. In some cases, doctors have been observed to prescribe medicines which may interfere with sleep which is depicted as a side effect. Medications such as those for high blood pressure and asthma can lead to insomnia while others like the ones for treating flu, cold and coughs can disrupt sleep ( Bianchi 48). Moreover, drugs used to treat disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorders or epilepsy can also lead to insomnia. Asthma medications have chemicals that are related to caffeine. Besides, heart medications have been associated with sleep difficulties and insomnia. Beta blockers utilized for high blood pressure and angina can increase the chance of insomnia, nightmares, and awakenings at nights. People who take a certain type of antidepressants denoted as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs experience sleep problems. Experts have indicated that insomnia is one of the common medication side effects of SSRIs (Foral et al., 420).

The sleeping setting is a crucial determinant of the way a person will sleep. Sleep may be disrupted due to environmental reasons such as a very cold or hot bedroom. Besides, the presence of noisy neighbors may lead to sleep deprivation or even having a partner who snores. Furthermore, some people have been observed to have poor sleep hygiene. They have disruptive habits such as smoking cigarettes or drinking coffee when it is almost bedtime. It then stimulates their nervous system making sleep to be less likely. Also, worrying in bed instead of relaxing has also been associated with sleep deprivation ("Sleep Deprivation").

Sleep deprivation has specific adverse effects on a person or the brain. The body needs sleep for it to heal and reinstate its chemical balance. On the other hand, the brain usually falsifies new connections and assists in memory retention. Lack of adequate sleep means that the body systems and brain do not function ordinarily (Brodsky and Brodsky 70). Also, it can result in the reduction of the quality of life. When one is asleep, pathways may form between the brain neurons that assist one to remember newly acquired information. However, sleep deprivation subjects the brain to exhaustion, and thus it fails to perform its duties effectively. It also becomes difficult to focus or acquire new information. Besides, signals sent by the body may be delayed, and this decreases the coordination skills and increases chances of accidents (Alkadhi et al. 233).

Mental capabilities and emotional state have also been observed to be negatively affected by sleep deprivation. One tends to be impatient or disposed to mood swings. Moreover, it may hinder the processes of creativity and decision making. On the other hand, when sleep deprivation is extended for long durations, one could start having hallucinations. Lack of sleep has also been associated with triggering mania among people who have manic depression. It further leads to other psychological risks of an individual such as depression, paranoia, impulsive conduct and suicidal views (Ma et al., 235).

Individuals who suffer from sleep deprivation have been observed to have a higher risk of various conditions such as hypertension, obesity and heart disease. As previously mentioned, it also affects memory and cognition of the brain. When assessed on a societal level, sleep deprivation has been depicted to account for lost productivity, car and industrial accidents and medical errors (Brodsky and Brodsky 125).

There is a link between the respiratory system and sleep. A breathing disorder that occurs during the night referred to as obstructive sleep apnea can disturb ones sleep and even lower its quality. Waking up throughout the night can lead to sleep deprivation that makes one more vulnerable to respiratory infections such as flu. Besides, sleep deprivation can also cause existing respiratory diseases such as chronic lung illness to worsen. People who suffer from sleep deprivation have their skin aging. They experience sickly skin and swollen eyes. They may also have lines and dark loops under the eyes. Loss of sleep also leads the body to discharge minimal human development hormone (Bianchi 51). Sleep deprivation has further been observed to increase the risk of death. Individuals who cut their sleep from seven to five hours or even fewer than that per night have been demonstrated to double the risk of death that may further be caused by cardiovascular diseases. There is judgment impairment linked with sleep deprivation as well. One may not be capable of assessing situations accurately and taking the right actions (Ma et al., 238).

Conclusion

The paper has explored the causes and negative impacts of sleep deprivation on a person and the brain. It has been depicted that sleep deprivation may be a personal choice whereby one opts to read or socialize instead of sleeping. It may also be due to sleep disorders which have mostly been characterized by abnormal sleep patterns leading to the intrusion of the physical, mental and emotional functioning. Other causes of sleep deprivation include medications such as those for asthma and high blood pressure, the sleeping environment and sleep hygiene of an individual. An assessment of the impacts of sleep deprivation on the brain and the person has also been conducted. It has been observed that one tends to be disposed to mood swings when they lack sleep. Their ability to be creative and even make decisions is also hindered. People with sleep deprivation also have a higher risk of several conditions such as heart diseases, obesity, and hypertension. There is also a higher risk of death associated with sleep deprivation and judgment impairment.

Works Cited

Alkadhi, Karim, et al. "Neurobiological consequences of sleep deprivation." Current neuropharmacology 11.3 (2013): 231-249. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3648777/

Bianchi, Matt T. Sleep Deprivation And Disease. Springer, 2013, pp. 47-77

Brodsky, Phyllis L, and Allen Brodsky. Living with Insomnia: A Guide to Causes, Effects and Management, with Personal Accounts. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland, 2011, pp. 67-79, 124-129.

Foral, Pamela, et al. "Medication-induced sleep disturbances." The Consultant Pharmacist 26.6 (2011): 414-425.

Ma, Ning, et al. "How acute total sleep loss affects the attending brain: a meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies." Sleep 38.2 (2015): 233-240.

"Sleep Disorders And Problems: Symptoms, Treatment, And Self-Help". Helpguide.Org, 2018, https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/sleep-disorders-and-problems.htm. Accessed 29 Nov 2018.

"Sleep Deprivation". Betterhealth.Vic.Gov.Au, 2018, https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/sleep-deprivation. Accessed 29 Nov 2018.