Blog Post #5 – Research Round #3 – Sleep Disorders – Is Sleep Really that Important?

“Is Sleep Really that Important?”

By: Karen Zoulau

Many people feel as if they don’t get enough sleep at night. To solve this they constantly promise themselves that they will get more sleep in the future, but often this promise never happens. This is an occurring issue that almost everyone seems to face, leading to loads and loads of sleep dept. Doing this to your body will not only harm yourself, but also removes the time that your body has to repair itself, and make adjustments for the better. This is very bad, as having large amounts of sleep debt can lead to sleep disorders like sleep deprivation and insomnia.

Sleep deprivation:

Symptoms:

• fatigue [1], feeling constantly tired, unable to stay awake, excessive sleepiness [2], frequent yawning [2], daytime fatigue [2]
• irritability [1] [2], easy to be enraged
• mood changes [1] [2]
• difficulty focusing and remembering [1]

Causes:

• a sleeping environment that is noisy or not the right temperature [1]
• using electronic devices close to bedtime or keeping them in the bedroom [1]
• medical problems, such as depression, or chronic pain [1]
• consistent lack of sleep or reduced quality of sleep [2], for example, getting less than 7 hours of sleep every night [2]
• underlying sleep disorder [2]

Effects:

• memory issues [2]: when you sleep, your brain forms the necessary connections to process and remember information [2]. If you don’t get enough sleep, or are disrupted while sleeping, this can affect your short-term and long-term memory [2].
• mood changes [2]: moody [2], emotional [2], may lead to anxiety or depression [2], can escalate anxiety or depression [2]
• weakened immunity [2], causes a person to be more susceptible to infections and respiratory diseases [1]
• risk of high blood pressure increases [2], may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease [1]

Solutions:

• try going to bed, and waking up at the same time everyday [1]
• avoid eating 2-3 hours before bedtime [1]
• getting an adequate amount of sleep, 7-9 hours [2]
• turn off electric devices and keep them away from the sleeping area [1]

Insomnia:

Symptoms:

• sleepiness during the day [3]
• not feeling well-rested after a night’s sleep [4]
• fatigue [3]
• grumpiness [4]
• problems with concentration or memory [3]
• increased errors or accidents [4]
• difficulty falling asleep at night [4]

Causes:

• stress [3]
• environment: noise, light, temperature [3]
• poor sleep habits [4]
• eating too late in the evening [4]
• changes to your sleep schedule [3]

Effects:

• slowed reaction time [4]
• increased chance of gaining mental health disorders [4]
• higher risk of health problems [3], may lead to anxiety, depression [4]
• trouble focusing [3]

Solutions:

• create a consistent sleep routine [3]
• try not to nap in the day, it makes you less sleepy in the night [3]
• get exercise in the day, [4] but try not to work out close to bedtime [3]
• make your bedroom comfortable [3]

Overall, both of these disorders are very bad for your mental and physical health, and are very similar in general. As long as you are getting an adequate amount of sleep, and have a consistent sleep schedule, these sleep disorders should, hopefully, not be able to catch up on you.

1. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/307334#_noHeaderPrefixedContent
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body
3. https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/insomnia-symptoms-and-causes#:~:text=Insomnia%20is%20a%20sleep%20disorder,for%203%20months%20or%20more.
4. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167