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Basic Mental Effects of a Lack of Sleep

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 25 percent of Americans experience occasional sleep deprivation. Anyone can suffer from lack of sleep. Stress or sickness can take a toll for a night or two, and in the morning you may feel tired and irritable. People suffering from sleep disorders can have more serious mental consequences from lack of sleep.

  1. Reduction or Loss of Alpha State

    • Our bodies work in waves known as the REM cycle. The cycle actually starts before you fall asleep. The alpha state is the state of rested wakefulness; this typically occurs a few hours before you usually fall asleep and is characterized by a receptive but relaxed state. Lack of sleep can reduce the alpha state that helps people prepare mentally and physically for sleep. EEG (electroencephalogram) studies, the main sleep test used in psychological research, reflect that a sleep-deprived individual experiences a significant reduction of normal alpha state activity.

    Increase in the Delta State

    • The delta state is also known as the slow wave sleep since the waves presented on the EEG are slow and evenly distributed. The delta state works to repair the body between the other states. Delta is the heaviest form of sleep where dreams do not occur, and the body essentially paralyzes itself to keep from moving too much. If you have been losing sleep, the delta state would increase to help repair your body and mind from the loss.

    Emotional Effects

    • The most basic emotional effect of lack of sleep is irritability. Depression and mood swings may also occur in people with chronic sleeping problems. If the person has a severe lack of sleep, he or she may suffer from hallucinations which can lead to emotional and psychological disturbances.

    Cognitive Effects

    • When the mind goes without rest, the response times to stimuli will be slower, much like an athlete pushed to exhaustion. A person may suffer from short term memory loss and fragmented thought processes where thoughts do not finish themselves. Motor skills are severely impaired, and the person may feel clumsy, unable to focus, have impaired judgment and slurred speech.

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