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Emily Susanto

Professor Johnson-Taylor

English 1201

2 August 2020

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Even if they may not acknowledge or know it, many people deprive themselves of one of

life’s most basic necessities. Sleep. We all know what happens when we are deprived of a good

night’s sleep. The tiredness, the half-conscious actions, and a bleary eyed search for a cup of

coffee; all characteristic of a sleep deprived individual. But what happens to us when we are

consistently deprived of a good night’s rest? Many say that we simply do not function as well on

a day to day basis. Some argue that the effects may exist for some people, but they can get by

just fine. Others may disagree and question the effects of a good night’s sleep altogether.

Through the use of various studies and surveys, researchers claim that sleep deprivation leads to

many negative effects, including but not limited to memory impairment, deficiency in daily

performances and tasks, and increase in risky behavior.

In a society that is constantly changing, working, and evolving, individuals never seem to

rest. From students working late and into the morning hours to parents taking care of a newborn,

individuals have normalized the process of sleep deprivation. More and more, a tireless work

schedule consisting of late nights and early mornings is not only accepted, but actively sought

after. As they have become accustomed to the various effects of sleep deprivation, individuals

may start to question the impact that sleep has on us at all. Some claim that to properly function,

humans only need a mere 6 hours of sleep. Some claim that it does not matter what time of day
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you sleep and that as long as an individual sleeps for 8 hours in a given day, sleep deprivation is

not an issue. Others may say that our brains adapt to functioning on little sleep, and that after a

while, we are still able to function at an optimal level on very little rest. In my personal

experience, during my high school career, I would get a typical average of 5-6 hours of sleep

each night, despite what my parents and teachers advised me to do. As a result, I was sluggish

and tired every morning arriving at school, as were most of my peers. Being exhausted seemed

normal. Despite this, however, we all performed relatively well in the classroom and scored

considerably high in all of our classes. This brings forth the question: how exactly does sleep

deprivation affect individuals?

According to multiple studies and works, sleep deprivation has been shown to directly

affect one’s daily performance, which in turn affects their quality of life. Examples of daily

performances include the speed at which one thinks or makes decisions, the ability to recall

events and information(memory), the ability to make rational decisions, and the regulation of

one’s emotions. All of these factors are vital to any student or working/active individual.

Therefore, any alteration to these factors could become detrimental to an individual’s daily life

immediately, or over time should they persist.

Sleep deprivation additionally causes changes in cognitive performance and flexibility.

Lack of the appropriate amount of sleep impairs an individual’s attention span and their working

memory. Specifically, it has the ability to heavily affect the individual’s long term memory and

decision-making(Alhola). There is a reduction in the individual’s speed of cognitive flexibility.

Depending on the nature or complexity of a task, dividing attention between tasks can also be

heavily influenced by the deprivation of sleep. According to one publishing, a past research
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study concluded that there are neurobiological abnormalities present in the prefrontal cortex and

parietal lobe when involved in tasks requiring divided attention(​Sleep Deprivation: Global

Prevalence​ 7). This same study conducted an experiment in which a Go-No Go task was given to

the subject, both when deprived of sleep and not deprived of sleep, and measured their ability to

complete the tasks. This experiment found that when deprived of sleep, subjects had an increase

in errors the longer they were awake, and found that the subject made significantly less mistakes

and overall performance greatly improved with more nighttime sleep(​Sleep Deprivation: Global

Prevalence 7​ ). This distinct negative change in cognitive ability isn't the only detrimental effect,

sleep deprivation has on mental ability.

Dr. Lawrence Epstein, a Harvard Medical School medical instructor and medical director

in Massachusetts, has stated that new research conducted has highlighted how important the role

of sleep is in memory and learning. Dr. Epstein stated that, “Those getting adequate amounts of

sleep performed better on memory and motor tasks than did individuals deprived of

sleep,”(Epstein). Dr. Clete Kushida, a physician at the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic has

additionally noted that this data pointing towards the correlation between sleep and memory

impairment greatly affects the student population. Dr. Kushida states that various factors such as

shortened sleep time, poor quality of sleep, and late bed and rise times are found to be negatively

associated with classroom performance(Epstein). Therefore, there is an abundance of

information that indicates the lack of sleep that an individual receives can lead to disturbances in

brain function and lower school grades.

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As the lack of sleep grows, so does the inability to self-regulate. Self-regulation in this

context means to control one’s emotional state, mood, and impulses. According to a study

conducted by Dr. Ryan Meldrum, an assistant professor at Florida International University, a link

was found between sleep deprivation and an individual’s overall mood. Dr. Meldrum concluded

that shorter sleep times, later bedtimes, and overall poor sleep quality led to increased

aggression, impulsivity, and short tempers(Garey). The ​Frontal Lobe Hypothesis​ suggests that

sleep deprivation has the ability to impact the functionality of the prefrontal cortex and produce

changes in the cerebral metabolism, which then leads to changes in emotion, cognition, and

behavior(​Sleep Deprivation: Global Prevalence ​26). Dr. Fred Danner of the University of

Kentucky additionally states that through a study he conducted, he found that lack of sleep was

positively correlated with significant levels of emotional disturbance. Every additional hour of

sleep then lowered the chances of scoring in the clinically significant range of emotional

disturbance by approximately 25 percent(Danner).

In addition to the immediate disadvantages to sleep deprivation, chronic sleep deprivation

has the ability to lead to more serious physical health issues over time. Though acute sleep

deprivation leads to cognitive performance impairment and increases the risk of accidents, an

accumulated “sleep debt” can trigger changes in the body in effort to maintain a sort of

homeostasis throughout(​Sleep Deprivation: Global Prevalence ​27). An example of these

changes include activating the response systems of stress; the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal

axis and the sympathetic nervous system. These two systems lead up to a hormonal response,

releasing chemicals throughout the body. Prolonged exposure to these chemicals can result in

detrimental effects to both mental and physical health. Some effects present themselves as
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diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, weight gain, obesity, some cancers, metabolic

syndrome and more(​Sleep Deprivation: Global Prevalence 26)​ .

The human cardiovascular system is balanced and adjusted by an individual’s sleep. Lack

of sleep then has the ability to impact and induce changes that could impair some functions of

the cardiovascular system. Various epidemiological studies conducted have connected a short

sleep-time to cardiovascular morbidity(​Sleep Deprivation: Global Prevalence ​31). Some of the

systems involved include blood pressure and hormonal dysregulation. Other factors, such as

pro-inflammatory response and adiposity(abundance of adipose tissue, or obesity), induced by

sleep deprivation could possibly contribute to the increase of cardiometabolic risks. Increase in

adiposity, or obesity, leads to lower glucose tolerance and insulin resistance, which in turn favors

type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases(​Sleep Deprivation:

Global Prevalence ​32).

In the cases of weight gain and obesity, it must first be stated that both skeletal tissue and

adipose(fat) tissues have the ability to rapidly adapt, making them the main controls for

metabolic processes. Metabolism then utilizes two types of processes to run: anabolic and

catabolic. Anabolic reactions and processes utilize energy to grow and build whilst catabolic

reactions and processes use energy to break down substances. In situations of stress, both skeletal

and adipose tissues are mobilized to provide energy to the body. Higher concentrations of the

chemicals released into the body due to sleep deprivation then increase the body’s metabolic

rate. This therefore creates a catabolic(breaking down) environment to both types of tissues,

which is a determinant in bodily composition(​Sleep Deprivation: Global Prevalence​ 29). Studies

have demonstrated that sleep deprivation induces a catabolic environment to muscle tissues and a
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reduction of concentration in levels of anabolic hormones such as testosterone, therefore

increasing the degradation of proteins in the body(​Sleep Deprivation: Global Prevalence​ 30).

Moreover, sleep deprivation impairs an individual’s physical performance and impairs muscle

function in the body. As a result of the lack of movement and the degradation of protein and

muscle, adipose tissues begin to become increasingly bigger, explaining the effect of weight gain

and obesity.

Fig. 1. A graphic depicting the various effects of sleep deprivation, as mentioned above.

Furthermore, the various psychological effects of sleep deprivation must be discussed.

The fact that sleep deprivation can cause impaired cognition is not only detrimental in and of

itself, but it also can contribute to further mental health complications which in turn make it
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more difficult to sleep. Some of these complications and effects include depression, attention

deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD), bipolar disorder, and anxiety. Patients with underlying

psychiatric disorders are often more prone to sleep deprivation and disruption than the general

population(“Sleep and Mental Health”). On the other hand, sleep disruption issues have the

ability to increase the risk of developing various mental illnesses. In other words, sleep

deprivation can heighten mental illnesses as well as become a side effect of mental illnesses,

creating a vicious cycle of deterioration.

Sleep deprivation has been shown to have a direct relationship with multiple common

mental illnesses, but is especially tied into depression. According to Harvard Health, various

studies have shown that approximately 65-90% of adult patients with depression additionally

suffer from sleep complications. This study clearly suggests that the two are strongly related, or

at least significantly correlated. In addition, sleep problems such as insomnia increase the risk of

developing depression and are often symptoms of such(“Sleep and Mental Health”). This is an

example of the aforementioned vicious cycle. Sleep problems can actively lead to and cause

depression. Depression itself can lead to other health complications which in turn make sleeping,

and achieving high quality sleep, more difficult. But depression certainly isn't the only example

of sleep problems being associated with mental illness.

The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) heavily overlap with

the symptoms of sleep complications, often making it difficult to differentiate between the

two(“Sleep and Mental Health”). In the case of children and adolescents with ADHD, poor sleep

and sleep disorders can greatly influence the symptoms of ADHD, similar to the aforementioned

psychological disorders. A particular study observed that treating patients with ADHD for their
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sleep problems and abnormalities may be enough to eliminate the hyperactivity and attention

issues in some children and adolescents. Additionally, adult ADHD patients commonly have

further sleep problems. In a study reported by Dr. Ronald Chervin, adults with various sleep

disorders such as idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy were compared with adult patients with

ADHD and found a vast majority of the symptoms overlapped one another(Chervin). The study’s

findings suggest that there is a high probability of misdiagnosing a patient who suffers from a

sleep disorder with ADHD. This goes on to demonstrate the true severity of sleep deprivation as

individuals could potentially be misdiagnosed with a psychological disorder purely based on

their lack of sleep.

Bipolar disorder, which was formerly known as manic depression, is construed by the

National Institute of Mental Health as a mental disorder that generates abnormal changes in an

individual’s mood, energy levels and ability to perform everyday tasks(“Bipolar Disorder”). This

well-known health condition is another typical example of a chronic mental illness. As such,

determining how sleep affects bipolar is key in understanding mental illness and the problems

caused by sleep deprivation. As stated by Harvard Health, various longitudinal studies have

demonstrated the idea that sleep complications such as insomnia can worsen before an episode of

bipolar depression or mania(“Sleep and Mental Health”). As similarly stated above, the lack of

sleep and sleep complications can trigger episodes of mania due to sleep’s vital role in regulating

an individual’s mood. This shows a direct and intimate connection between sleep and bipolar

disorder, which is an effective demonstration of how sleep is directly impactful not only on the

mind in the short term, but also on mental health and the chronic conditions associated with

mental health.
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More than half of adults with generalized anxiety disorders additionally suffer from sleep

complications. One reported sleep study discovered that children and adolescents who suffered

from anxiety disorders took longer to fall asleep each night and had poorer quality sleep

compared to control groups of children who do not suffer from anxiety disorders. Though sleep

complications such as insomnia may serve as factors for developing anxiety disorders, studies

show that they affect the development of major depression more. In the same longitudinal study

as mentioned above, it was found that depression followed sleep complications approximately 69

percent of the time while it followed anxiety disorders only 27 percent of the time in

comparison(“Sleep and Mental Health”).

As with any topic, sleep deprivation has many misconceptions that are often told to

children and adults alike. One of the bigger misconceptions is that an individual can “catch up”

on the sleep they have been deprived of. Though individuals may sleep more when given the

opportunity, as the “sleep debt” gets larger, it becomes impossible to repay(Bianchi). As a result

of this, the risks and drawbacks associated with sleep deprivation become prevalent in the

individual’s daily life(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute). An additional misconception is

that an individual can adapt so that it functions just as well on less sleep. Research shows that

though an individual’s circadian rhythm can adjust, the aforementioned consequences of sleep

deprivation still affect them(Saleh).

Though chronic sleep deprivation can be extremely detrimental to an individual’s health,

as stated above, there are ways to help improve and increase the amount of sleep an individual

receives. Individuals should follow a bedtime routine, and establish/adhere to a specified

bedtime(Danner). By doing this, the individual’s body will over time adjust to the new routine
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set in place, and as a result, their circadian rhythm will adjust as well. Another recommendation

is that individuals should refrain from going to bed hungry, eating large meals right before

bedtime, and consuming food or beverages that may contain caffeine(Danner). Instead,

individuals are encouraged to have a small healthy snack before bed, to prevent going hungry

and overeating. Additionally, it is recommended that one should not keep televisions or

computers in their bedroom. Doing so could pose a temptation to use those devices and stay up

later than intended, and blue light emitted from them could disrupt an individual’s sleep pattern

even further. Knowing that there are ways to combat and prevent sleep issues, in combination

with the understanding that sleep problems often are significant contributors to negative elements

of a person's life, gives a certain amount of leverage over common issues like mental illness.

Knowing that these correlations exist furthers mankind’s limited understanding of our own

minds and is therefore essential for creating higher quality life and a happier world.

Though not necessarily the first thought when asked to name human essentials, sleep is

without a doubt one of the most influential factors in human life. We cannot live without it, and

it impacts so many parts of our lives whether we feel the effects of it at this present moment or

not. The sheer impact of it from both a mental and physical standpoint is a subject that cannot be

ignored. From just a general feeling of tiredness and sluggishness in the morning to more serious

health risks such as cardiovascular disease and psychological diagnoses such as depression and

anxiety, sleep deprivation has the ability to heavily influence varying aspects of our daily lives

and can be a major issue. Not only can it affect our own lives, but it can also negatively affect the

lives of those around you. By being aware of the many impacts that sleep deprivation has,
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utilizing ways to regulate a sleep schedule and controlling their sleep habits, individuals can

make the changes needed in order to live a long, unproblematic and healthy existence.
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Works Cited

Alhola, Paula, and Päivi Polo-Kantola. “Sleep Deprivation: Impact on Cognitive Performance.”

Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment​, Dove Medical Press, 2017,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2656292/#:~:text=Both%20total%20and%20pa

rtial%20SD,to%20influence%20attention%2C%20especially%20vigilance​.

Anon. “Sleep and Mental Health.” ​Harvard Health ,​ 2019,

www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sleep-and-mental-health​.

Anon. ​Sleep Deprivation: Global Prevalence, Dangers and Impacts on Cognitive Performance​.

Novinka, 2017.

Bianchi, Matt T. ​Sleep Deprivation and Disease: Effects on the Body, Brain and Behavior​.

Springer, 2016.

“Bipolar Disorder.” ​National Institute of Mental Health,​ U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services, Jan. 2020, ​www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml​.

Biltmore Psychology and CounselingBiltmore Psychology and Counseling is the practice of the

top psychology and counseling professionals in the Phoenix. “What Are the Effects of

Sleep Deprivation?” ​Biltmore Psychology and Counseling,​ 4 Apr. 2018,

www.biltmorecounseling.com/biltmore/what-are-the-effects-of-sleep-deprivation/​.
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Chervin, Ronald. “ADHD & Sleep Problems.” ​Sleep Foundation,​ 28 July 2020,

www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/adhd-and-sleep#:~:text=For%20children%20with%20

ADHD%2C%20poor,hyperactivity%20issues%20for%20some%20children​.

Danner, Fred. “GPA & Emotional Effects of Sleep Deprivation on High School Students.”

American Academy of Sleep Medicine – Association for Sleep Clinicians and

Researchers​, 27 Jan. 2020,

aasm.org/poor-sleep-can-negatively-affect-a-students-grades-increase-the-odds-of-emotio

nal-and-behavioral-disturbance/

Epstein, Lawrence. “Importance of Sleep & Effects of Sleep Deprivation on College Students.”

American Academy of Sleep Medicine – Association for Sleep Clinicians and

Researchers​, 27 Jan. 2020,

aasm.org/college-students-getting-enough-sleep-is-vital-to-academic-success/.

Garey, Juliann. “Teens and Sleep: The Cost of Sleep Deprivation.” ​Child, Youth, & Families

Liaison​, 23 Jan. 2019,

cyfliaison.namisandiego.org/2019/01/22/teens-and-sleep-the-cost-of-sleep-deprivation/.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2009). ​At-a-glance: Healthy sleep​. Retrieved June

12, 2017, ​http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthy_sleep_atglance.pdf

​Saleh, Naveed. “15 Sleep Myths Debunked.” ​MDLinx​, 2019,

www.mdlinx.com/article/15-sleep-myths-debunked/lfc-3733.
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“Sleep Disorders.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA, 2019,

adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/sleep-disorders#:~:text=Anxiety%20cau

ses%20sleeping%20problems%2C%20and,of%20developing%20an%20anxiety%20disor

der.