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Long-Term Effects of Lack of Quality Sleep

Many people who suffer from chronic sleep deprivation don't realize they're sleep-deprived. According to University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine assistant professor Hans P.A. Van Dongen Ph.D., this is because once a sleep-deprived person starts to become impaired, they become too tired to know that they're tired. Whether people realize it or not, a continued lack of quality sleep creates a cycle of lasting effects that will eventually take a toll.

  1. Brain Changes

    • In a 2002 study, researchers from the UCSD School of Medicine and Veterans Affairs Healthcare found that a sleep-deprived brain compensates for decreased functioning in language processing regions by increasing activity in the parietal lobes, a region associated with memory. They also found that the brain regions linked to arithmetic skills did not have a form of compensation like the one used for language processing.

    Mental Effects

    • Multiple Sleep Latency Test studies have shown that losing even one and a half hours of sleep in a night could cause a 32 percent decrease in daytime alertness. Reduced alertness hinders your memory and your ability to process information. A lack of alertness can also lead to a risk of injuries at work and on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, sleep-deprived drivers are responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes, 71,000 injuries and 1,550 casualties a year. Sleep loss also causes a decrease in creativity and problem-solving ability.

    Physical Effects

    • In 2007, researchers from the University of Chicago Medical Center found a link between chronic sleep loss and the accelerated onset of age-related disorders including hypertension, diabetes, obesity and memory loss. There's also an increase in the severity of these disorders for those suffering from sleep deprivation. Chronic sleep loss also leads to decreased immune system function, increased risk of heart disease and a decline in overall fitness level due to the lack of exercise.

    Emotional Effects

    • When the body doesn't restore itself properly during sleep, this can cause an increase in stress, irritability and moodiness. Sleep deprivation also correlates to depression and anxiety disorders. A pattern of sleep loss can impact your energy level and attention span, hindering your ability to participate in activities you enjoy. It can also create problems in your relationships due to moodiness and, in some cases, a need for separate bedrooms due to sleep issues.

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