2 Min.
Is stress leading to sleep deprivation?
Many people have trouble sleeping, regardless of whether it’s because they have trouble falling asleep, generally feel restless, or wake up at the crack of dawn despite still being super tired and not feeling fully rested.
Much of this is stress-related. Indeed, feeling stressed can severely affect the quality of your sleep, causing you to toss and turn instead of drifting off to dreamland.
In extremely stressful situations, sleep deprivation is fairly common. With stress, the body releases more adrenaline, which will keep you up for longer. This is usually short-term, and you’ll get back to your regular sleeping pattern as soon as the stressor is gone.
Chronic sleep deprivation only occurs if lack of sleep continues beyond the stressful situation.
But isn’t 5 hours of sleep enough?
Stress aside, many people these days believe that they simply don’t have the time to sleep.
Many high-achievers brag that they only get 5 hours of sleep at night - or even less! This gives them the time to lead well-rounded lives and gain high levels of success in work, family, and play. They seem to achieve more, are more productive, and lead happier and fuller lives.
Indeed, some people really do need less sleep. But this is the exception, not the norm.
For most people, getting a mere 5 hours of sleep is simply not enough. It leads to brain fogginess, sluggish behaviour, and an actual decrease in productivity - despite an increase in time awake. 99% of people really do need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night.
What are the consequences of sleep deprivation?
While missing a few nights of good sleep may not seem like the end of the world, research by sleep scientist Matthew Walker proves otherwise. Indeed, sleep deprivation has numerous short-term, medium-term, and long-term effects that can be detrimental to your health, body, and mind.
Short-term effects (1-3 nights)
- Decreased cognitive skills, reduced ability to concentrate, poor memory
- Irritability and mood swings
- Reduced work and sports performance
- Higher risk of using drugs, alcohol, and energy drinks
Medium-term effects (3-5 nights)
- Higher risk of infection due to a weakened immune system
- Slower regeneration of cells
Long-term effects (6 nights or longer)
If you suffer from chronic sleep deprivation, then you’re more at risk of serious health implications, including:
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Morbid obesity
- Diabetes
Get sleeping!
The health consequences of chronic sleep deprivation are very serious. While you may feel that you need less, your body and mind need sleep to function optimally.
