What Happens to You When You Don’t Sleep for Days

https://www.everydayhealth.com/conditions/what-happens-when-you-dont-sleep-
days/

All-night study sessions, important business deals, new babies — most people will
experience a taste of sleep deprivation at some point in life. While the occasional lack
of sleep may not seem like a big deal, the impact of sleep deprivation can be intense and its
effects can linger. In extreme circumstances, sleep deprivation can ultimately lead to death.

“As a society, as families and individuals, we have not yet fully appreciated the importance of
sleep,” says Terry Cralle, RN, a certified clinical sleep educator in Fairfax, Virginia. “Sleep,
along with diet and exercise, constitutes the very foundation of good health." In fact, she
says, the three are so interconnected that each needs to be a priority.

Chronic poor sleep puts us at increased risk for serious medical conditions, such as obesity,
heart disease, and diabetes. During sleep, our bodies secrete hormones that help control
appetite, metabolism, and glucose processing. Poor sleep can lead to an increase in the
body's production of cortisol, also known as the stress hormone. In addition, skimping on
sleep seems to throw other body hormones out of whack. Less insulin is released after you
eat, and this along with the increased cortisol may lead to too much glucose in the
bloodstream and thus an increased risk for type 2 diabetes. 
But how much sleep do I really need? Everyone is different, but according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep
each night. (1) And contrary to popular belief, sleeping an extra hour or two on the weekends
can not make up for the lost sleep you may be experiencing over the course of a busy week.
It could also throw off your internal body clock and possibly lead to Sunday night insomnia.
Sticking to a consistent sleep schedule is the best way to regulate the body's clock.

At 24 Hours: Impaired Coordination, Memory, and Judgment

Scott Kelley, a 10-year Army veteran, knows about sleep deprivation. With multiple
deployments(penyebaran) under his belt, Kelley has had many instances of being awake
longer than 24 hours in the field. “There were several occasions in Afghanistan and Iraq
where I had just finished up 15 to 20 hours of working, got back to my hooch, and then either
a rocket attack would come in or a critical mission would be called,” he says.

Kelley's military training and adrenaline-filled environment seemed enough to keep him

focused and alert at this early stage of sleep deprivation. But what happens in more normal
circumstances is surprising. The consequences of sleep deprivation at 24 hours is
comparable to the cognitive impairment of someone with a blood alcohol content of 0.10
percent, according to a study published in the International Journal of Occupational
Medicine and Environmental Health. (2) “Judgment is affected, memory is impaired, there is
deterioration in decision-making, and a decline in eye-hand coordination,” Cralle says.
“You're more emotional, attention is decreased, hearing is impaired, and there is an increase
in your risk of death from a fatal accident
At 36 Hours: Physical Health Starts to Be Negatively Impacted

Now your health begins to be at risk. High levels of inflammatory markers are in the
bloodstream, says Cralle, which can eventually lead to cardiovascular disease and high
blood pressure. Additionally, hormones are affected — your emotions can be all over the
place.

Once Kelley reached 36 hours without sleep, his head started buzzing as though he
were dehydrated, and he began to lose motivation. His responses were dependent on his
training, and in some instances, he functioned on autopilot and lost chunks of time. Once, he
was called back to duty just as he was about to go to sleep after 36 hours on the job, he
recounted. "After a quick briefing, I grabbed my gear and flew out by helicopter, got dropped
off in the middle of nowhere, and hiked out to the FOB [forward operating base]. The next
day, we rode back through the most dangerous road in central Afghanistan, but I don’t
remember leaving the FOB or hardly anything that happened until I got back to the base.”
At 48 Hours: Microsleeps and Disorientation

After two days of no sleep, Cralle says, the body begins compensating by shutting down
for microsleeps, episodes that last from half a second to half a minute and are usually
followed by a period of disorientation. “The person experiencing a microsleep falls asleep
regardless of the activity they are engaged in,” she says. Microsleeps are similar to
blackouts, and a person experiencing them is not consciously aware that they're
occurring.Kelley experienced microsleeps during this phase of sleep deprivation. “Around 48
hours or so, my mind starts to slip into neutral sometimes, and I find myself staring off into
the distance if I don’t maintain focus,” he says.

At 72 Hours: Major Cognitive Deficits and Hallucinations

Expect significant deficits in concentration, motivation, perception, and other higher mental
processes after many sleepless hours, Cralle says.“Even simple conversations can be a
chore,” notes Kelley. This is when the mind is ripe for hallucinations. Kelley recalled a time
he was on guard duty and repeatedly saw someone standing with a rifle in the woods, ready
to sneak into camp. Upon closer inspection, he determined he was actually looking at a
branch and shadows.

12 Tips for a Good Night's Sleep

https://www.everydayhealth.com/photogallery/goodnightsleep.aspx

When responsibilities mount, sleep is the first thing to drop off the priority list. In fact,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 3 in 10 people are
getting 6 or less hours of sleep. And that's a problem since experts argue that getting
adequate zzz's is as important to health and well-being as diet and exercise. If you have a
hard time falling asleep, wake up often in the night, or feel exhausted and doze off in the
daytime, try the following tips for a more restful slumber.

Stick to a Schedule
You've heard it time and time again — wake up and go to bed at the same time every day,
even on weekends. Why is this so important? It all relates to circadian rhythms. "Sleep is a
homeostatic process [a system where our bodies regulate automatically based on our daily
patterns]," says Sonia Ancoli-Israel, PhD, a professor of psychiatry at the University of
California at San Diego and a spokesperson for the National Sleep Foundation. "If you sleep
in, it might affect your ability to fall asleep the next night, since you have to be awake for a
certain amount of time before you'll be sleepy enough to go to sleep again."
Pick a Relaxation Ritual
Engaging in a relaxing activity, preferably with dim lighting, helps separate sleeping times
from times that elicit excitement, stress, or anxiety. Instead of trying to balance your budget
or solve big family dilemmas right before bedtime, turn to soothing activities like taking a
warm bath, meditating, or reading. It doesn't matter what you do, claims Ancoli-Israel, as
long as it relaxes you — just stay away from bright light because it signals the brain that it's
time to awaken.

Turn Everything Off

If you can view a clock from your bed, move it. In fact, according to Ancoli-Israel, getting rid
of the clock is effective in 90 percent of people who have difficulty sleeping. "If you've just
woken up and you want to know what time it is, you have to take yourself from transitional
sleep to full awakening — and you've then made it harder to fall back to sleep," says Ancoli-
Israel. "Get rid of the clock and don't even open your eyes if you awaken in the middle of the
night, because that will take you out of that transitional sleep."

Create a Safe Haven

Sleeping soundly requires the right environment — dark, quiet, comfortable, and cool. It
helps if distractions are minimal, too, including exposure to light, uncomfortable
temperatures, or poor air circulation, not to mention a spouse's loud snoring. While some
potential sleep saboteurs are beyond your control, blackout shades, earplugs, humidifiers,
and fans can help block out the major offenders.

Get Comfy
When it comes to sleep, comfort is key. If you have been lying on the same mattress for
years on end, chances are it may have exceeded its life expectancy (most "good"
mattresses survive for about 10 years). Make sure your mattress is comfortable and your
sheets are made from a high thread count. Encasing yourself in comfort will make for more
peaceful slumber. Ancoli-Israel points out that brands and prices of these items — whether
sheets, pillows, other bedding, or a mattress — are irrelevant. It's how they make you feel
that matters most.

Watch What (and When) You Eat

Don't eat anything two to three hours before your regular bedtime. The same rule applies to
liquids. You don't want to disrupt your slumber because of the need for a bathroom trip.
Avoid eating a heavy meal or spicy foods too close to bedtime; they may
cause heartburn and make it difficult to fall asleep. But you don't want to go to bed hungry,
either. "Again, it's doing what makes you feel comfortable," says Ancoli-Israel. Then you'll
rest easy.

Fit in Fitness
Just don't do it right before bedtime. Study after study has shown that people who are more
physically active get better sleep. "When you exercise, body temperature goes up, and it
takes about six hours for it to drop again," says Ancoli-Israel. And since a cooler body
temperature is associated with the onset of sleep, an ideal time for exercise is the late
afternoon.
Set the Stage for Sleep
Keep work, computers, TVs, and other distractions out of the bedroom. Reserving the
bedroom for sleep and sex actually helps strengthen the association between your bed and
sleep. Reading in bed, for example, is fine if it helps you fall asleep. "It's very individual,"
says Ancoli-Israel. "What works for one person may not work for another." She even
suggests taking sex out of the bedroom if it isn't relaxing for you and doesn't promote sleep.
Bottom line: When you're in the bedroom, engage in activities that help you relax.

Use Your Imagination

Your typical waking and sleeping times are programmed in your subconscious mind. Instead
of counting sheep, try resetting the program. "Both imagery and hypnosis bring your brain
into a deeply relaxed state," explains Donna Fremon-Powell, certified guided imagery
therapist, a certified hypnotherapist. "In this alpha-brainwave state, the subconscious mind is
more willing to accept beneficial suggestions, such as 'You sleep soundly through the night
and wake fully refreshed and alert in the morning.'" Hypnosis and guided imagery — even
listening to an imagery CD as you fall asleep — can help you change negative sleeping
patterns and achieve more restful slumber.

Say No to Smoking
If you need one more reason to stop smoking, here it is: Nicotine disrupts sleep. So too, do
caffeine and alcohol — and the former lurks in more than just your morning cup of joe. Tea,
soda, and chocolate all contain caffeine, and they stay in the body for three to five hours.
"People also need to be careful about what medications they're taking, whether they're over-
the-counter or prescription medications," claims Ancoli-Israel. Beyond the caffeine contained
in some of these drugs is the fact that drugs, by definition, activate and mobilize your system
— and that makes it harder for you to fall asleep. Take medications and herbal supplements
or other remedies early in the day, and don't drink in an effort to fall asleep. Alcohol may
make you feel sleepy initially, but it actually interferes with restful sleep.

Enjoy the Daylight

The body's natural sleep hormone, melatonin, is secreted in darkness and inhibited in light.
So getting sufficient exposure to light during the day can help you stay awake and alert. By
the same token, keeping your bedroom as dark as possible at night can help promote the
production of melatonin and the onset of sleep. And while you can buy melatonin over the
counter as a supplement, Ancoli-Israel claims it isn't the same as the melatonin produced by
the brain. Still, 1 to 3 mg of melatonin taken half an hour before bed may be helpful for some
individuals.

Write It Down
Instead of ruminating over the day's dramas right before bed, set aside a worry time earlier
in the day, suggests Ancoli-Israel. "It sounds silly, but if you take 10 or 15 minutes to sit and
worry during the day (with the Blackberry and beeper off), it frees you from having to think
about those concerns when you get in bed at night." If your sleep problems persist, keep a
sleep diary, noting the type of problems you're experiencing and when they occur. It's a
useful tool to have when you talk to your doctor.