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The Side Effects of Not Getting Sufficient Sleep

When people get less than six or seven hours of sleep per night, they often suffer immediate effects to their concentration. On a chronic scale, insufficient sleep is linked to a risk of increased health problems. The requisite amount of sleep ranges from seven to 10 hours based on the individual. Short-term health problems connected to sleep deprivation typically resolve when the individual resumes a healthy sleep schedule.

  1. Reduced Attentiveness and Cognitive Function

    • An immediate response to lack of sleep is a tired demeanor and an impaired ability to perform cognitive tasks. However, this decrease in function is not always apparent to the affected individual. In one study, sleep deprived participants were not aware of any decrease in ability, but performed much worse on tests. Reaction time is affected by insufficient sleep, which can create safety hazards such as the ability to respond in dangerous driving conditions.

    Overactive Stress Hormones

    • Another short-term aspect of insufficient sleep is the affect on stress hormones from the adrenal gland. Deep levels of sleep slow the production of these hormones, which give a well-rested feeling after a good night's sleep. When sleep levels are reduced, the hormones are produced more consistently. In addition to making the affected person feel stressed and irritable, a high level of these hormones are connected to poor short-term memory, which impairs function.

    Link to Obesity

    • The amount of sleep an individual gets is linked to his metabolism. A study conducted by the University of Chicago Medical Center and published in The Lancet on October 23, 1999 found a diabetes-like low insulin response in highly sleep deprived study participants. The study also noted abnormal hormone production and thyroid activity. Although the link between not getting enough sleep and obesity is not entirely understood, statistics show a strong correlation. Parents often have trouble setting boundaries for their children when concerning food, as well as setting a structured sleep schedule.

    Compromised Immune System

    • Sleep deprivation affects the body's immune system. Although the reasons are not entirely understood, there is a correlation between many health problems and the amount of sleep. In particular, there is a correlation between not getting enough sleep and cancer. One theory is that there is a connection to the hormone melatonin, which is produced during sleep. A lot of people diagnosed with cancer have a low amount of this hormone.

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