Having a bad night’s sleep is quite normal when it happens every now and again. However, not getting regular, restful sleep goes beyond feeling a little tired in the morning. Lack of adequate sleep can affect work performance, relationships, and an individual’s overall wellbeing and quality of life. It can also result in the development and/or exacerbation of long term health conditions. So let’s take a closer look at sleep deprivation - define what it exactly is, what causes it, its effects on both the mind and the body, and how it can be treated.
What is sleep deprivation?
Sleep deprivation is what happens when your body does not get enough sleep on a routine basis. There’s a certain amount of sleep your body needs in order to function well. For an adult, this can be anywhere between six to eight hours. However, there isn’t a single magic number for the exact number needed - it all comes down to the individual and their requirements.
It’s not just the amount of sleep that can contribute to the effects of lack of sleep. Sleep quality can also affect sleep deprivation. Some symptoms may only last a few days, and some are ongoing and last months.
Before we go further, do note that sleep deprivation is different to insomnia. As sleep consultant and NHS sleep coach Katie Fischer notes, “[They both] share similar negative effects… However, whereas insomniacs have trouble initiating sleep or maintaining sleep despite prioritising regular opportunity, sleep deprivation typically occurs when we can’t prioritise enough sleep.” Sleep deprivation is often caused by lifestyle, rather than struggling to get (and remain) asleep.
So what does sleep deprivation look like? It’s not just feeling tired after a bad night’s sleep. Sleep deprivation symptoms affect the entire body, and pose a significant health risk. Like breathing and eating, sleeping is integral to keeping healthy. The effects of sleep deprivation can be both short and long term - we’ll explore these further throughout the article. Initial signs you might be experiencing sleep deprivation include constant yawning, feeling irritable, and being excessively tired throughout the day and night.
What causes sleep deprivation?
As previously mentioned, adults need at least between six to eight hours of sleep a night. Anything under this can be classified as sleep deprivation. Another similar condition is sleep deficiency, which takes into consideration the quality of sleep. The two can influence and affect each other.
Sleep deprivation is often the result of lifestyle. Not getting a full night's sleep can be the result of consistent worrying about deadlines, work, and relationships. Shift work can also significantly affect the quantity and quality of sleep. Environmental conditions can contribute to sleep deprivation too. A bedroom may be too hot, too cold, or noisy. Mattresses, pillows, and duvets can all affect your sleep too. Pre-existing medical conditions, such as sleep apnea, affect the amount of sleep an individual gets as well.
What are the specific impacts of sleep deprivation on the mind?
Sleep is imperative to mental function, memory and learning. Without enough sleep, our cognitive abilities decline and it becomes far more difficult to think clearly. Sleep expert Gregory Potter PHD notes that “Sleep loss compromises most, if not all, aspects of brain function. Regarding social life, insufficient sleep tends to worsen mood and impair the ability to accurately read the emotions of others. Regarding safety, sleep loss increases sleepiness, making traffic accidents more likely. And regarding workplace performance, insufficient sleep increases risk taking behaviours, hampers the ability to pay attention, and worsens both memory and the ability to learn new information.” Let’s take a deeper dive into the specifics of how sleep deprivation affects the mind.
Without enough sleep, thought processes become a lot slower. As a result we become less alert and responsive. This is because the brain doesn’t have enough energy to recognise and understand the stimuli it’s being alerted to. This means that reflexes can become a lot slower, which can have dangerous consequences. Driving and/or operating heavy machinery requires a high level of awareness. It’s a matter of safety to be able to respond quickly to sudden changes, such as other vehicles on the road or faulty equipment.
It’s not just responsiveness that is impacted by sleep deprivation. Memory retention becomes a lot more difficult without adequate rest. When we’re sleeping, pathways are formed and reinforced between the nerve cells in our brains. This helps solidify information learned during the day. These connections are integral to processing information and new memories. This process is less effective without adequate sleep - your brain is too tired. It should also be noted that circling through sleep cycles may affect how memories are formed. It’s important to complete these cycles each night. Without doing so, long and short term memory can be severely impacted.
On a similar line to memory retention is concentration. Without enough sleep, staying focused becomes a lot more difficult. Individuals experiencing sleep deprivation may find that they have a decreased attention span. They may find making decisions and judgements a lot harder. This is because it is more difficult to assess what is going on, and pinpoint key areas that will help their decision making. This is especially pertinent with complex problems that require logical decision making. Concentration is also integral to responsiveness. Again, not paying full attention can increase the risk of getting into accidents.
A lack of sleep can also affect someone’s mood. These fluctuations can lean towards irritability, impatience, as well as heightened emotions. It’s a lot more challenging to regulate emotions without enough rest, and it can progress to anxiety and depression.
What are the specific impacts of sleep deprivation on the body?
It’s not just the mind that is affected by sleep deprivation. The body feels it too. Sleep expert Gregory Potter notes the following with regards to how it affects the body - “Regularly not getting enough sleep contributes to dysfunction in perhaps all bodily systems''. So what can happen to the body when it doesn’t get enough sleep?
Physical signs of sleep deprivation may include shakiness, drooping eyelids, and slurred speech. Think similar sorts of symptoms to having high levels of alcohol in the body. People who aren’t sleeping enough may also have sallow-looking skin. This is because skin needs certain hormones to repair itself, which are produced and active at night. We’ll touch more on the relationship between sleep and hormones later in this article.
There are physical symptoms that go beyond what can be seen on the outside. For instance, low energy. This is an amalgamation of other symptoms of the sleep deprived body, which have built up because of the lack of rest. One of these is low immunity. Gregory Potter states that “Not getting enough sleep also hampers immune function, increasing the likelihood of developing symptomatic viral infections.”
An extremely tired body is less effective when it comes to fighting off germs and viruses. When we sleep, our bodies produce antibodies that protect and reinforce our immune systems. Less sleep means less antibodies. It also may take individuals a lot longer to get over bouts of illness. Sleep is essential in building up and maintaining a robust immune system.
Sleep deprivation can also result in increased blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease. Lack of quality sleep can affect our heart rates, our body temperatures, and also result in slower breathing rates. This is all due to the body having difficulty regulating itself, which is all down to not getting enough sleep.
As we’ve discussed before, an overly tired body has slower reactions. This can also manifest in balance issues, and a lack of coordination. There’s an increased risk in microsleep. This is where an individual can fall asleep for a few seconds, without being aware of it. This is particularly dangerous in certain jobs that require high levels of concentration, as well as driving.
What are the long-term health risks of sleep deprivation?
As we’ve explored, sleep is essential for processing the day, self-healing and addressing chemical imbalance. It’s vital for both the body and the brain. Sleep really does affect everything. But what are the long-term health risks of sleep deprivation?
Let’s first take a look at the endocrine system and hormone production. The endocrine system is made up of glands, and sends messages (hormones) throughout the body. These hormones regulate the body, and are integral to keeping organs healthy and functioning as they should. Many hormones, such as testosterone, need a certain amount of sleep in order to be produced. A lack of sleep can result in a hormone imbalance. This in turn can affect building and repairing a wide range of cells and tissues. Hormone imbalance has other knock-on long-term effects, such irregular menstrual cycles and reproductive difficulties. Other symptoms from hormone irregularity include hair loss and thinning, headaches, increased sweating, nausea, and irregular bowel habits. Hormone imbalance caused by lack of sleep is particularly concerning for children and their growth hormone production.
Hormonal changes can also affect the metabolic system. Also known as the metabolism, this is the process that transforms food into energy. It takes place at a very small, cellular level. In the short term, people with metabolic problems might find themselves feeling much more hungry when they’re tired. In the long term, it can lead to potential weight gain. Hormones that are used in this metabolic process are produced in the thyroid gland. So not only can sleep deprivation affect the process itself, but can also affect the effectiveness of the thyroid gland. As the body is more wakeful, more energy is required to keep it going. This results in the thyroid working over-time. Overactive thyroid problems include mood swings, feelings of weakness, heat sensitivity, and heart palpitations.
Hormone imbalance can lead to glucose intolerance, which can result in diabetes. Our insulin levels are affected by a lack of sleep. It’s this hormone that balances and lowers the amount of sugar in the bloodstream. As Gregory Potter states: “Sleep deprivation increases food intake but does not substantially raise Calories burned, contributing to a positive energy balance and subsequent fat gain. This is compounded by the fact that sleep loss worsens how nutrients consumed are disposed of in the body — for example, it can diminish how cells respond to the hormone insulin, in turn raising blood sugar, over time increasing risk of diseases such as type-2 diabetes.“
Sleep deprivation can also result in individuals being much more sensitive to pain, especially if they experience a chronic pain condition. In fact, it can increase the chances of developing a long-term chronic condition, or make managing one a lot more difficult. For instance, it increases the risk of seizures for people with epilepsy. It also has a significant psychological impact. It can trigger symptoms from mental health conditions, including mania, paranoia, and impulsive behaviour. Sleep’s impact on mental health can’t be understated. All of these pose a significant risk of someone getting injured, or being part of an accident.
How can people treat sleep deprivation?
The best way to treat sleep deprivation is working towards getting seven to nine hours of sleep a day. If you or someone you know is having difficulty in achieving this, it’s worth visiting a doctor. They can recommend treatment, as well as assess whether you have a sleep disorder. Doctors may prescribe medication, or CBT sessions. There are some over-the-counter medicines that are available too.
When it comes to addressing sleep deprivation, prevention is the best form of treatment. However, this is easier said than done when someone is experiencing it first hand. First things first is to understand the underlying cause of their lack of sleep, and take steps to address this. Is it a difficulty in relaxing, or a sleep space that isn’t comfortable? Sleep expert Kate Fisher states that:
“Treating sleep deprivation will depend on the root causes and your personal triggers. For many of us, the answer lies in understanding our individual sleep need[s] better and managing our sleep schedule around this more consistently week to weekend.”
Keeping a sleep diary is a useful tool in managing inadequate sleep. Individuals can note how long they sleep for on different days, and track changes in the lead up to going to bed. This may include the time they went to bed and woke up, screen time, food eaten, temperature of the room, and any anxieties or worries they may have. From this, people can start seeing patterns and understand what is truly affecting them.
To be set up for success, it’s also worth implementing sleep hygiene. This is a series of steps that help individuals wind down and relax in the evening, putting them in a better position to sleep. Here’s some ideas:
- Even if you are struggling with tiredness, limit the amount of naps you take during the day. And if you do take a nap, keep it under 30 minutes. Try and get to a place where you are only sleeping at night. Kate Fisher notes: “If you create regular opportunit[ies] for healthy sleep, you avoid needing to ‘catch up’ with long lie-ins, which misaligns the circadian clock and reduces vital time in the day for activity and daylight.”
- Stick to a sleep schedule. Practise going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even if it takes you a while to adjust. As tempting as it is to finish that box set or read one more chapter, having a sleep schedule can really help in the long run.
- Mark your bed as your designated sleep space. This means not working on it - and if you can - not using your phone on it. You should associate your bed as a place to sleep only.
- Take control of your sleep environment. This may involve taking steps to reduce noise, adjusting the temperature, ensuring you have a comfortable bed, and breathable bed sheets.
- Practise sleep extension. This is where you effectively “train” yourself to spend longer time in bed, and in turn help you feel more tired. Gregory Potter states that:
“When people who are short on sleep go through a period of "sleep extension".... they experience a range of benefits.
To practise sleep extension, try the following:
1) Don't press the snooze button! Set your alarm as late as possible and get the alarm out of arm's reach when in bed.
2) Reduce your exposure to strong overhead lighting in the 3 hours before bed. You might want to just use lamps at eye level or below.
3) Go to bed 30 to 60 minutes earlier than previously, provided you're sleepy at this time.”
- Regular exercise. By using up energy during the day, physical movement can help you feel more settled and ready for sleep in the evening.
- Limit caffeine, and consume caffeinated drinks only in the morning. As much caffeine can help us wake up, it can mask sleep deprivation symptoms. These may end up getting worse in the long run.
- Practise winding-down activities before bed. These may be mindfulness and breathing exercises, or guided meditation. Relax by reading a calming book, drinking herbal tea, or listening to a sleep story. Reduce screen time a couple of hours before you head to bed, as this can end up stimulating you. Kate Fisher notes:
“There is a strong correlation between addictive mobile phone use in bed and delayed sleep onset, reduced sleep duration and poor quality, with the risk increasing with longer exposure.'
- Reduce your alcohol intake, especially close to going to sleep. As sleepy as alcohol can make us feel, it’s still a stimulant. It can also affect the quality of sleep you get. Even if you sleep for an extended period, you won’t end up feeling refreshed.
- Don’t eat too close to bedtime. Digesting food, particularly heavy meals, can keep you awake at night. Try to have your evening meals two to three hours before going to sleep.
What products can help with sleep deprivation?
Luckily, there are a number of products on the market that can help individuals with sleep deprivation. Most of these work to create a calm, relaxing environment to encourage sleep.
From pieces of furniture to small items to keep on the bedside, here’s our pick of items that can help.
- A comfortable bed to encourage relaxation. Whatever you sleep on - single mattress, double mattress, king size mattress or super king size mattress - it’s important that it supports you throughout the night.
- A notepad and pen. If you find that you get racing thoughts at night, jotting down your worries can help temporarily elevate them.
- Natural remedies. Dietary supplements like valerian root and magnesium are thought to help people relax. It’s recommended that you talk to your doctor before taking anything, just to ensure you don’t have an adverse reaction. If you don’t want to ingest anything, pillow sprays containing lavender may have calming effects.
- A weighted blanket. The pressure of a weighted blanket is thought to reduce heart rates, and help the body feel calmer. There are a wide range of materials, weights, and styles to choose from too.
- Specialist apps. There are dedicated applications to help settle down before bed. From sleep sounds, relaxing stories, and meditations, there’s a lot to pick from.
- Personal care items. Having a relaxing bath with sleep soak before bed, followed by scented body lotion can help the winding down process. The ritual of it may also contribute to feeling calmer and sleepy.
- Sleeping mask and ear plugs. Taking measures to reduce the amount of light and noise can help people get ready for bed. There are a wide range of options available in both of these.
If you’re struggling with sleep deprivation, it can be distressing. But don’t worry, help is at hand. We recommend getting in touch with organisations like the Sleep Charity, who work with all individuals who are experiencing difficulties with sleep.
