Check out the 4 Sneaky Symptoms You are Sleep-Deprived: Many people take pride in staying up all night or getting by on five hours of sleep each night and wear their lack of sleep like a badge of honor.
Sleep deprivation is hardly a sign of power or productivity, though. For general health and well-being, getting quality sleep is essential. Sleep deprivation has negative consequences.
It’s very normal to experience sleep deprivation, or not receive enough sleep each night. According to the American Thoracic Society, more than one-third of American adults claim to sleep less than seven hours per night. (Most individuals should get seven to nine hours of sleep every night.)
Additionally, while certain signs of sleep loss are easy to spot, such as daytime fatigue, others can be more subtle.
The University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Emerson Wickwire, Ph.D., professor and department head of sleep medicine, reveals the hidden symptoms of sleep deprivation to watch out for as well as strategies for improving your quality of sleep in this article.
What Causes Sleep Deprivation?
Lack of sleep can be caused by numerous factors. According to Cedars Sinai, a few of the most typical include:
- Sleep disorders: These include insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome.
- Aging: Sleep changes with age — typically, older people sleep lightly and for shorter periods, due to chronic health problems and/or side effects of certain medications.
- Illness: Sleep deprivation is more prevalent among people with certain medical problems including depression, schizophrenia, chronic pain syndrome, cancer, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease
- Sudden disruptions or shifts in one’s sleep schedule: This includes jet lag, a new baby or a recent change in work hours.
According to the American Thoracic Society, having poor sleep hygiene is a crucial component that might ruin your sleep.
4 Sneaky Symptoms You are Sleep-Deprived
The telltale indicators of sleep loss are sudden bouts of lethargy and daily drowsiness. You should also learn to recognize some of the more subtle impacts of sleep loss.
1. Cognitive Impairment
Sleep is critical for cognitive function, according to decades of clinical, experimental, and epidemiologic research, says Wickwire.
Thus, lack of sleep has a number of detrimental impacts on the brain. For instance, according to Wickwire, “not receiving enough sleep, or sleep of a high caliber, impairs brain function, including our capacity to recall, concentrate, and make wise decisions.”
According to more recent research, persistent sleep deprivation may further raise the likelihood of cognitive deterioration as we age, including Alzheimer’s disease.
According to a study published in Nature Communications in April 2021, adults in their 50s and 60s who slept six hours or less each night had a 30% higher chance of acquiring dementia than those who slept the recommended seven hours each night.
Warning
Sleep deprivation’s negative effects on cognition can potentially be harmful.
According to the American Thoracic Society, even one hour less of sleep can have an effect on your attention and response time the following day, which can increase your risk of getting into an accident at work or in a car.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that driving while sleep-deprived causes 100,000 car accidents (and 1,500 fatalities) annually. Therefore, stop immediately and take a nap on the side of the road if you start to feel sleepy while driving.
2. Weight Gain
Lack of sleep could be at fault if you’re gaining weight mysteriously.
Your hormones are affected when you don’t get enough sleep, according to Wickwire. According to the American Thoracic Society, sleep deprivation messes with the hormones that control hunger and glucose breakdown, which can affect weight growth.
And all it takes is a slight deviation from your regular sleeping schedule to have an impact. We feel more hungry, less satisfied, and [have] higher desires for calorie-dense foods that are heavy in carbohydrates and fats after even one night of partial sleep deprivation, according to Wickwire.
A September 2019 study published in the Journal of Lipid Research found that sleep deprivation can also affect how your body stores fat from eating. Only four nights of poor sleep, according to research, caused people to retain less fat in their bloodstream after meals.
In other words, your body accumulates more fat when you are sleep deprived. And this can have an impact on the weight on the scale.
3. Changes in Mood
This is so because, according to Wickwire, “sleep is crucial to health, particularly mental health.” Indeed, the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University has found that sleep is crucial for a number of brain processes that control emotions and behavior.
Therefore, when we don’t have it, we’re more prone to feel down or anxious or have mood swings. According to the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, studies have shown that getting little sleep might increase negative emotional reactions, decrease our capacity to handle stressors (even mild ones), and lessen pleasant emotions.
Additionally, Wickwire notes that we often have trouble sleeping when we are depressed or stressed out, which can lead to a vicious cycle. Read on to know the 4 Sneaky Symptoms You are Sleep-Deprived.
4. Reduced Ability to Fight Off Infections
Lack of sleep may also make you ill. That’s because, according to the American Thoracic Society, your body regenerates and restores itself as you sleep.
Your immune system suffers from sleep deprivation. According to the Mayo Clinic, your body creates more cytokines (proteins) when you sleep, which can aid in the healing process when you’re ill, fighting an infection, or injured.
According to a study published in Sleep in September 2015, those who sleep for fewer than six hours at night are more likely to become ill with the common cold. Similarly, lack of sleep might impair your body’s capacity to produce enough antibodies in response to immunizations.
Given the significance of COVID-19 and other vaccinations, Wickwire claims that many people are shocked to learn that obtaining little sleep can reduce the effectiveness of immunizations. That is supported by science: An extensive review published in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine in June 2022 came to the conclusion that getting a good night’s sleep could support the immune response following vaccination.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, chronic sleep deprivation is also linked to long-term health issues like heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, and obesity. Inadequate sleep can affect your immune system’s ability to fight off infection in the short term.
When to See a Doctor About Sleep Deprivation
Consult your doctor if you have daytime sleepiness combined with any of the aforementioned symptoms; they may suggest that you see a sleep specialist. Keep track of your sleep patterns for a few weeks by keeping a sleep journal to help with the diagnosis.
Tip
Take special care to note the following in your sleep diary, per the American Thoracic Society:
- When you get into and out of bed each day and any naps you take
- How much caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine do you consume daily
- Any over-the-counter medications, herbals, or supplements you take each day
A sleep specialist may be able to properly examine and appraise your situation by keeping track of your sleeping patterns. According to Cedars Sinai, they may even recommend a sleep study in specific circumstances to rule out (or diagnose) an underlying issue like sleep apnea. A sleep study involves monitoring your breathing, heart rate, and other vital signs while you sleep.
How Is Sleep Deprivation Treated?
Even if it seems apparent, increasing the amount of time spent in bed is the only approach to treating sleep deficiency.
However, the best course of action for treating sleep deficiency will depend on what is preventing you from falling and staying asleep. After sleep disorders have been ruled out, people’s sleep problems are frequently caused by poor sleep hygiene (i.e., bad sleep habits such as staying up late).
In today’s hectic world, it might be challenging to prioritize sleep in the midst of our hectic schedules, but the truth is that your brain and body will appreciate it, according to Wickwire.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, you can start developing the following healthy habits to get more rest:
- Stick to a sleep schedule: Go to sleep and wake up around the same time every day, even on weekends and vacations.
- Create a good sleep environment: Turn down the lights, avoid loud sounds and keep the room at a comfortable temperature.
- Exercise every day: Stay active but try to avoid exercising during the few hours right before bed.
- Relax before bed: Take a warm bath, read or do another relaxing activity like meditation.
- Don’t consume caffeine, nicotine and alcohol late in the day: These substances can interfere with your ability to fall and stay asleep.
- Nix daytime napping: A short nap (less than 30 minutes) is OK if you’re very sleepy. But try to avoid naps after 3 p.m.
- Avoid electronics right before bed: Electronics, such as your phone or tablet, can interfere with your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that helps you feel tired.
