I was dead tired. The last one left in the lounge of the hotel, listening to the DJ finishing off his set of 1980’s pop songs. A phrase oozed out of the speakers: “Come, sweet slumber, enshroud me in thine purple cloak…”. I was amazed at how accurately it described the way I felt. I closed my eyes for a moment. The next thing I remembered was waking up in my hotel room, somewhat disoriented. Additionally, I had no idea how I got to bed.

Apparently, the hotel staff woke me up in the lounge the previous night. I then had a conversation with them and took the lift to my hotel room. And I couldn’t remember any of it! It was alarming, to say the least.

Back home I made an appointment for an extensive medical checkup. The doctor gave me one look and asked me if I’d been getting enough Sleep. However, he didn’t expect an answer. Luckily, the tests confirmed what he had suspected. There was no cause for alarm and all that. I was simply sleep-deprived and had suffered a temporary episode of narcolepsy as a result. As a joke, he handed me a prescription that said: “Get some sleep!”

The Causes Of Sleep Deprivation

After receiving that rude wake-up call, I researched the phenomenon and realised that I wasn’t alone. A sizeable percentage of people do exactly the same thing. We deprive ourselves of sleep – willingly – because we consider other things to be more important. This brings us to the leading cause of sleep deprivation: choice.

Self-Inflicted Sleep Deprivation

Ever since the availability of electric light, humans have succeeded in “pushing back the night”. We could suddenly extend our days at will and this is exactly what we did. Generally, we don’t set aside enough time for sleep. Instead, we use that time for other pursuits – mainly work, family time, studying or entertainment. This sounds reasonable, given the pressure we’re under in our daily lives. But there are limits, as I had realised.

Involuntary Sleep Deprivation

When it is not your choice, it can be classified as involuntary sleep deprivation. There is an infinite number of things that can rob us of our sleep. Some are environmental factors like sounds, others have to do with our biochemistry. As a result, I have compiled a quick list of some of the most common factors:

• Illness
• Environment – noise pollution or light pollution
• Psychological factors – stress, anxiety, depression
• Medication
• Food and drink
• Age – older people have more sleep problems
• Circadian rhythm disruptions

It is worth mentioning that a depreciation in the quality of sleep can have the same effect as sleep deprivation. This is especially the case with older people, who may feel less refreshed than their younger selves after the same amount of sleep.

Before we delve into the effects of sleep deprivation, let’s take a short detour. To properly assess the effects, we need to take a look at the functionality of sleep. In other words: what are we missing out on if we don’t get enough sleep?

The Function Of Sleep

If one has to condense the function of sleep into one word, it would be “maintenance”. It is one of the things that sets us apart from even the most sophisticated machines. The human body is equipped to do its own general repairs and maintenance. The thing is, in order to do so, our bodies need good quality sleep.

The key ingredient in this maintenance process is growth hormone, which is released during deep sleep. Growth hormone has a regenerative effect, which means that it could even make us look a bit younger. It also acts as a buffer against cortisol, one of the stress hormones. Take a look at just some of the processes happening while we are asleep:

Nervous System Refreshment

Our nervous systems get some downtime for repair and fine-tuning. In fact, this is essential for critical functions, from thought processes to motor skills. Our brains also process and organise data during deep sleep.

Cardiovascular Relief

Our bodies go into “rest and digest”, also known as the parasympathetic mode. Our heartbeat slows and our blood pressure decreases. This process is essential for long-term cardiovascular health.

Immune System Reboot

Our immune systems are refreshed and maintained when we sleep. For example, our bodies produce more leukocytes when we are sleep-deprived. This disrupts our immune systems, creating a condition resembling autoimmune disorders. Sleep enables our bodies to normalise leukocyte levels.

The Effects Of Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation turns us into zombies – clumsy, bad-tempered, unattractive and intellectually inept. Jokes aside, missing out on the maintenance processes during sleep carries serious health risks. Similarly, as with most bad habits, the severity of these effects increases over time.

The initial effects of sleep deprivation include:

• Foul moods
• Impaired physical strength
• Irritability
• Concentration deficit
• Memory problems
• Diminished motor skills
• Drowsiness
• Compromised immune system

The long-term effects of sleep deprivation are even scarier:

• Increased risk of psychological problems like depression
• Hallucinations
• Increased risk for cardiovascular disease
• Severe sleep disorders like insomnia, narcolepsy and sleep apnea
• Respiratory complications like asthma attacks
• Severe mood swings
• More severe involuntary sleep deprivation (ironically enough)

Overall, sleep deprivation destroys our good mood, our health, and ultimately, our quality of life.

Sleep Deprivation: Treatment

For some of us, treating sleep deprivation is simple: get enough quality sleep. Problem solved!

However, it is not always that simple. Sleep deprivation is often the result of a complex set of challenges that cannot be whisked away overnight. If you’re a shift worker, for example, it would mean finding a new job.

Most importantly, take your sleep seriously. Make a conscious decision to improve in the sleep department and take it from there.
Consider the following “treatments”:

Exercise

Being physically tired is hard to beat. Consequently, the urge to sleep should kick in.

Sleep Plan

Try different things and put together a sleep plan. In addition, this plan should include a routine for preparing to sleep and falling asleep.

Create The Right Environment

Choose the right colours for your bedroom. If you struggle with light pollution, get heavier curtains. Lastly, practice good sleep hygiene.

Control Your Exposure To Blue Light

Exposure to too much blue-spectrum light (emitted by digital devices’ screens) disrupts melatonin secretion. Stick to “no screentime before bedtime”.

Respect Your Circadian Clock

Our circadian clocks control our cycles of sleep and wakefulness. We are supposed to feel sleepy when it gets dark and feel awake in bright daylight. If we stick as closely as possible to this natural cycle, our sleep improves.

Get The Right Sleep Gear

In short, do your research and get the mattress, pillow(s) and bedclothes that work for you.

Get Professional Help

On the other hand, if your sleep deprivation stems from factors beyond your control, seek professional assistance. A sleep therapist can be of great help, for obvious reasons. Your physician will also be able to give you advice, or at least send you in the right direction.

Taking sleep medication could be instrumental in treating sleep deprivation. After all, sleep is controlled by a cycle of biochemical processes. Therefore, chemical adjustment makes sense if there is an obvious imbalance. A lack of serotonin, for example, causes depleted melatonin levels. Without melatonin, we cannot fall (or stay) asleep. In the case of sleep medication, professional medical assistance is imperative.

And, Finally…

Prevention is better than cure. Avoid all the horrors of sleep deprivation by ensuring that you never even get to that point. Furthermore, listen to your body – it will tell you when you’re pushing it too far.

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