Healthline HealthySleep EffectsofSleepDeprivationontheBody

WrittenbyAnnPietrangelo
MedicallyReviewedbyGeorgeKrucik,MD,MBA
onAugust19,2014

theEffectsof
SleepDeprivation
ontheBody
Sleepdeprivationcancausedamagetoyourbodyintheshortterm.Overtime,it
canleadtochronichealthproblemsandnegativelyimpactyourqualityoflife.
Inadequatesleepraisesyourriskofaccidentalinjuryanddeathfromallcauses.
Readmore.
Withoutplentyofrest,yourbrainisunabletorestandrenew,leavingyouill
preparedtofacetheday.Readmore.
Itsnormaltoyawn,butifyoureyawningexcessively,maybeyouarentgetting
enoughsleep.Readmore.
Whenyouresleepdeprived,itshardtoconcentrate.Yourcreativityand
problemsolvingskillsdeteriorate.Readmore.
Yourmemoryforrecenthappeningsmaysuffer,andevenlongtermmemories
maybedifficulttoaccess.Readmore.
Sleepdeprivationcanmakeyoumoody,emotional,andquicktoanger.Read
more.
Ifyougolongenoughwithoutsleep,youmaybegintohavehallucinations.Read
more.
Thelongtermeffectsofsleepdeprivationincludeanxiety,depression,andeven
thoughtsofsuicide.Readmore.
Ifyouareseriouslysleepdeprived,youmightfallasleepforshortperiodswithout
evenknowingit.Thatcanbeverydangerousifyourebehindthewheelofacar.
Readmore.
Lackofsleepcanmakeyougroggyandaffectyourbalanceandcoordination,

makingyoumorepronetoinjuryduetoaccident.Readmore.
Yourimmunesystemisntworkingatfullcapacity,soyouremorelikelyto
becomeillwhenexposedtobacteriaandviruses.Readmore.
Lackofsleepweakensyourdefensesagainstviruseslikethecommoncoldand
influenza.Readmore.
Lackofsleepcanactuallyincreaseyourappetite,andyourbrainmaynotgetthe
messagethatyouvehadenoughtoeat.Readmore.
Lackofsleepaffectstheamountofinsulinreleasedafteryoueat,increasingyour
riskofdevelopingtype2diabetes.Readmore.
Ifyouhavehypertension,asinglenightwithoutadequatesleepcanelevateyour
bloodpressureforawholeday.Readmore.
Sleepdeprivationcanleadtochroniccardiovascularproblemslikehypertension
andheartdisease.Readmore.
AccidentalDeath
Yawning
MemoryProblems

HealthySleep

Hallucinations

Topics&Tools
MicroSleep

WeakenedImmuneResponse
WeightGain
HighBloodPressure
ImpairedBrainActivity
CognitiveDysfunction
Moodiness
Depression
AccidentProne
ColdandFlu
Type2Diabetes
HeartDisease

EffectsofSleep
Deprivationonthe
Body
Youneedsleepas
muchasyouneed
tobreatheandeat.
Whileyoure
sleeping,yourbody
isbusytendingtoyourphysicaland
mentalhealthandgettingyou
readyforanotherday.
Inchildrenandadolescents,
hormonesthatpromotegrowthare
releasedduringsleep.Thesehormoneshelpbuildmusclemass,aswellasmake
repairstocellsandtissues.Sleepisvitaltodevelopmentduringpuberty.
Whenyouredeprivedofsleep,yourbraincantfunctionproperly,affectingyour
cognitiveabilitiesandemotionalstate.Ifitcontinueslongenough,itcanlower
yourbodysdefenses,puttingyouatriskofdevelopingchronicillness.Themore
obvioussignsofsleepdeprivationareexcessivesleepiness,yawning,and

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irritability.Chronicsleepdeprivationcaninterferewithbalance,coordination,and
decisionmakingabilities.Youreatriskfallingasleepduringtheday,evenifyou
fightit.Stimulantslikecaffeinearenotabletooverrideyourbodysprofound
needforsleep.
Whenyouresleepdeprived,theeffectsofalcoholconsumptionaremagnified,
asisyourriskofbeinginvolvedinanaccident.AccordingtoHarvardMedical
School,studiesshowthatsleepinglessthanfivehoursanightincreasestherisk
ofdeathfromallcausesbyabout15percent.Sleepdeprivationisdangerousto
yourmentalandphysicalhealthandcandramaticallyloweryourqualityoflife.

CentralNervousSystem
Yourcentralnervoussystemistheinformationhighwayofyour
body.Sleepisnecessarytokeepitfunctioningproperly.During
sleep,thebrainrestsbusyneuronsandformsnewpathwaysso
yourereadytofacetheworldinthemorning.Inchildrenand
youngadults,thebrainreleasesgrowthhormonesduringsleep.
Whileyouresleeping,yourbodyisalsoproducingproteinsthathelpcellsrepair
damage.
Sleepdeprivationleavesthebrainexhausted,soitcantperformitsdutieswell.
Themostobviouseffectissleepiness.Youmayfindyourselfyawningalotand
feelingsluggish.Lackofsleepinterfereswithyourabilitytoconcentrateandlearn
newthings.Itcannegativelyimpactbothshorttermandlongtermmemory.It
getsinthewayofyourdecisionmakingprocessandstiflescreativity.Your
emotionsarealsoaffected,makingyoumorelikelytohaveashorttemperand
moodswings.Overallcognitivefunctionisimpaired.
Ifsleepdeprivationcontinueslongenough,youreatincreasedriskof
hallucinations,especiallyifyouhavenarcolepsyorsystemiclupus
erythematosis.Lackofsleepcantriggermaniainpeoplewhohavemanic
depression.Otherrisksincludeimpulsivebehavior,depression,paranoia,and
suicidalthoughts.
Asideeffectofsleepdeprivationismicrosleep.Thatswhenyoureasleepfor
onlyafewsecondsorafewminutes,butyoudontrealizeit.Ifyouresleep
deprived,microsleepisoutofyourcontrolandcanbeextremelydangerousif
youredriving.Itcanalsomakeyoumorepronetoinjuryduetotripsandfalls.
AccordingtotheNationalHeart,Lung,andBloodInstitute,insufficientsleephas
playedapartintragicaccidentsinvolvingairplanes,ships,andevennuclear
reactormeltdowns.

ImmuneSystem
Whenyouresleeping,yourimmunesystemproducesprotective
cytokinesandinfectionfightingantibodiesandcells.Ituses
thesetoolstofightoffforeignsubstanceslikebacteriaand
viruses.Thesecytokinesandotherprotectivesubstancesalso
helpyousleep,givingtheimmunesystemmoreenergyto
defendagainstillness.
Sleepdeprivationmeansyourimmunesystemdoesnthaveachancetobuildup
itsforces.AccordingtotheMayoClinic,studiesshowthatifyoudontgetenough

sleep,itsmorelikelythatyourbodywontbeabletofendoffinvaders.Itmay
alsotakeyoulongertorecoverfromillness.Longtermsleepdeprivationraises
yourriskofdevelopingchronicillnesseslikediabetesandcardiovascular
diseases.

RespiratorySystem
Sincesleepdeprivationcanweakenyourimmunesystem,youre
morevulnerabletorespiratoryproblemslikethecommoncold
andinfluenza.Ifyoualreadyhaveachroniclungdisease,sleep
deprivationislikelytomakeitworse.

DigestiveSystem
AccordingtoHarvardMedicalSchool,afewstudieshavefounda
linkbetweenlackofsleepandweightgain.Alongwitheatingtoo
muchandnotexercising,sleepdeprivationisoneoftherisk
factorsforobesity.
Sleepdeprivationincreasesproductionofthestresshormonecortisol.Lackof
sleeplowersyourlevelsofahormonecalledleptin,whichtellsyourbrainthat
youvehadenoughtoeat.Inaddition,itraiseslevelsofabiochemicalcalled
ghrelin,whichisanappetitestimulant.
Sleepdeprivationpromptsyourbodytoreleasehigherlevelsofinsulinafteryou
eat,promotingfatstorageandincreasingyourriskofdevelopingtype2diabetes.

CardiovascularSystem
Sinceyouremorelikelytogainweightifyourechronicallysleep
deprived,yourealsoatincreasedriskofproblemswithyour
cardiovascularsystem.
Sleepplaysavitalroleinyourbodysabilitytohealandrepair
yourbloodvesselsandheart.Sleepdeprivationcanleadtohigherriskofchronic
healthproblemslikehighbloodpressure,heartdisease,andstroke.Accordingto
HarvardMedicalSchool,forpeoplewithhypertension,onenightwithoutenough
sleepcancauseelevatedbloodpressureallthroughthenextday.

RecommendedforYou
NaturalSleepRemedies
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7TipsforBetterSleep
Adequaterestisessentialforahealthybody.Afew
simplebehaviorscanhelpyougetthesleepyouneed
tomaintaingoodhealth.
Learnmoreabouttipsforbetterrest

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