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Peyton Knight

Prof. Bell

4/27/2021

Sleep Deprivation

As time goes on people are getting less sleep. Some are affected by changes in their life

including technology advancing, aging, and the formation of mental health issues. People tend to

notice these changes in their younger years (high school through college), but sleep deprivation

can be noticed at any age. Some ages may be more prone to the issue because of different

classes, school, events, personal reasons, etc. Sleep deprivation is common, but can often be

prevented if people have a greater awareness of proper sleep practices and self-care. If proper

care is not taken, there can be many different side effects of sleep deprivation. Depression,

anxiety, health issues, and substance abuse are a few of the harmful side effects of inadequate

sleep practices. To fully understand the impact of sleep on the body and mind, it important to

learn what sleep deprivation is.

What is lack of sleep? Lack of sleep or sleep deprivation alludes to getting less rest than

the body requires. For grown-ups, seven to nine hours of rest is suggested. (Suni) Kids ages six

to twelve require more rest, around nine to twelve hours and teens need to get anywhere from

eight to ten hours of rest an evening. (HealthyChilderen) Anything less than the required amount

can cause sleep deprivation. According to the Sleep Foundation, there are three different kinds of

sleep deprivation. These types were “acute sleep deprivation, chronic sleep deprivation, chronic

sleep deficiency, or insufficient sleep.” (17) Acute sleep deprivation usually lasts a few days and

occurs when a person has lost a great amount of sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation, also called

insufficient sleep syndrome, is a pattern of sleep loss in a span of three months or longer.
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Persistent rest lack or deficient rest describes a person’s sleep deprivation and poor sleep due to

sleep fragmentations or other causes. (Sleep Foundation)

Image 1. This describes some of the different causes of sleep deprivation in a diagram picture. (Chung)

Sometimes it’s not only the lack of sleep a person gets but the type of sleep that they get.

Sleep can come in different stages, up to four, that can be suspected as symptoms of sleep loss if

irregular. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, these stages

are either REM or non-REM sleep. Non-REM sleep consists of three different stages. “Stage one

is where the body changes from wakefulness to sleep.”(17) Meaning during this stage of light

sleep, the body’s movements of heartbeat, eye movement, and breathing begin to slow. This may

cause the body to attempt to shut down and rest. “Stage two is a light sleep period before the

body enters a night of deep sleep.”(17) During stage two, it can be common that others twitch or

have small movements. The body starts to relax even further and its body temperature lowers.

Stage two is one of the longest stages of sleep. While the last stage, stage three, is the profound
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rest time frame that happens in longer times of the primary portion of the evening. In this stage,

brain waves become excessively slow. The other type of sleep. REM sleep occurs 90 minutes

after falling asleep. Based on an article by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,

the brain has mixed frequencies, similar to being awake, and breathing becomes faster. Heart rate

and blood pressure increment to levels similar to when the body is awake. Sleep can affect

almost every bone and tissue in our bodies. (NINDS) Though some do not even realize that they

are not getting the sleep that they need. When our bodies don’t get the rest it needs, then it begins

to deconstruct causing health issues. Among health issues are depression, anxiety, and substance

abuse.
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Image 2. This shows the actual physical impacts of lack of sleep including the wellbeing harms. (Ford)

In an article written by Shelley D. Hershner and Ronald D. Chervin, depression is

described as “interrelated to sleep and sleep is a large feature of depression”.() This is most

commonly found in college students, but can also be found in any age group. A study was

performed where respondents were asked questions throughout a year about insufficient sleep

and psychiatric factors using an interview schedule. The study concluded that 14.8% of students

reported a diagnosis of depression. It also stated that 46.5% of those who had hypersomnia (a

condition where you feel sleepy throughout the day (Stubblefield)) and about forty percent that

had insomnia had a psychiatric disorder compared to the remainder of the study. (Ford,

Kamerow) Sleep loss has been linked to loss of pleasure, punishment feelings, and self-dislike,

which are symptoms of depression. (Hershner, Chervin)

Another health issue can be anxiety. Anxiety can be categorized into six different

categories. These categories consist of social anxiety disorder sleep disturbances have been

recorded as a common symptom of anxiety disorders. Difficulties sleeping have been present in

various types of anxiety including generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder,

and post-traumatic stress disorder. A state of mental hyperarousal has been recognized as one of

the key factors of having insomnia. Those with one, or more, anxiety disorder are more likely to

have issues sleeping when under stress and high-density situations. Anxiety can cause the mind

to stay awake due to different thoughts. (Suni) A personal experience has led a friend of mine’s

sleep routine to almost being non-existent. She would try to sleep but would be kept up by

thoughts of “not doing things right, what people thought of me, and many other things''. Talking

to her about her anxiety and sleep was interesting, to say the least. It showed just how much

sleep can easily be affected by small things.

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Substances can also be a cause of sleep loss. For example, alcohol. An article by Eric

Suni states that “alcohol can have a large impact on a person’s sleep schedule and can also

reduce sleep quality and consistency.”(17) (Suni) Though alcohol may help with sleeping

quickly, it leads to disruptions in the persons’ sleep due to the liver metabolizing the alcohol.

Drinking alcohol may also lead to daytime drowsiness. Studies have shown that people who

drink in the latter part of the afternoon/night, are more likely to have delayed sleep. Alcohol

consumption has been linked to an increase in sleep apnea in various studies. Sleep apnea is a

sleep disorder that is characterized by rapid breathing and short-term breathlessness during sleep.

This can occur throughout the night, and with the effects of alcohol, the disorders’ effects

extensively. (Pancheco) The amount of alcohol consumed may cause a loss in sleep, but it

depends on the amount consumed. According to a 2018 study, “low amounts would decrease

sleep quality by 9.3%. Moderate consumption would lead to a 24% decrease in sleep quality.

While high quantity consumption would cause a 39.2% decrease in sleep quality.” (13)(Pietilä)

Another substance that affects sleep is caffeine. Caffeine is a natural psychoactive substance used

in foods and beverages around the world. It is most commonly used in different drinks like tea

and coffee. “Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, sleep-promoting chemicals that are produced

in the brain. When blocked, it causes the person to be alert and vigilant.” (2) Caffeine also

interacts with circadian melatonin rhythms, causing a delay in the onset of sleep if ingested

before going to sleep. Studies show that, if ingested too much caffeine, an overdose on caffeine

can lead to insomnia symptoms or cause the effects of pre-existing insomnia to intensify/

worsen. (Foley)

Drug use and addiction are also big contributors to sleep loss. The relationship between

drugs and sleep can be bidirectional and complex. According to an article by Dr. Nora Volkow,
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sleep loss is one of the causes of drug use and addiction. When drug addicts are going through a

withdraw, they lose sleep quality and duration which leads to more drug cravings. This is one of

the main reasons for relapses among drug addicts. Though it may lead for some to go through a

relapse, “it may also cause someone to remember some of their memories and learn new coping

mechanisms and also self-regulation skills that are necessary for their recovery journey.”(18)

(Volkow) When regaining their memory and becoming healthier, their ability to sleep becomes

much easier. Those with insomnia and sleep issues may have an increased risk of being involved

in drug use.

Social media has been a huge hit ever since it started back in 1997, but it seems that it has

taken an effect on people’s mental health leading them to get less sleep. Looking at social media

takes time out of the night, preventing sleep. Many, including myself, feel constantly judged

because of different posts that people make. It brings this anxiety and self-consensus to people

that constantly look at the posts made on social media. The fear of missing out, which people

often experience while viewing social media, has extra negative consequences at night. This

creates an impossible conundrum for us: an insatiable desire to remain connected to what others

are doing and seeing. This feeling usually occurs around fifteen minutes after going to sleep, it

significantly affects sleep duration and quality. Social media has had a larger impact on teens

these days. According to an article by Rob Newsom, “95% of teens possess a smartphone and

around 45% are examined to being online almost constantly.”(11) Though social media allows

teens to express themselves freely, it increases the risk of anxiety, depression, and other mental

health conditions (Newsom)

The light of a phone/ electronic device can also cause a loss of sleep due to the blue light

waves that the device gives off. Blue light is a color in the visible light spectrum and if
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continually looked at, could cause damage to retinal cells and vision problems. This blue light

disrupts circadian rhythms, which are 24-hour internal clocks that regulate processes such as the

sleep-wake cycle. Blue light has become one of the biggest impacts on sleep due to the incoming

developments in technology. “The blue light makes the brain feel alert, which causes us to be

energized when we should be heading to bed.” (5) This leads to a higher risk of developing a

sleep disorder. Exposure to light, according to a Harvard report, inhibits the flow of melatonin, a

hormone that affects sleep and circadian rhythms. Blue light is no exception it blocks melatonin

more than normal light. The results of six and a half hours of exposure to green light of

equivalent brightness were compared by Harvard researchers. “Compared to the blue light, it

suppressed melatonin for about twice as long. The green light blocked melatonin for about one

and a half hours, while the blue light blocked for about three hours.”(5) Depending on the

amount of exposure to the blue light, sleep can either be severely affected or affected lightly.

(Harvard Health)
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Image 3. This diagram describes the risks and the possible health conditions that come with sleep

deprivation (Adventist Health).

There are also physical effects of sleep deprivation including obesity, high blood,

seizures, increased heart attacks, and more. Loss of sleep causes changes in the body’s vital

signs. (Peters)According to an article written by Stephanie Watson and Kristeen Cherney, a

compromised immune system, high blood pressure, weight gain, and poor balance are just some

of the changes the body will go through. The body may also gain the risk of heart disease,

“where there are increased blood pressure and higher levels of chemicals linked to inflammation,

both of which play roles in heart disease.”(13) Receiving a reduced amount of sleep would

prevent the immune system from building up its forces helping defend the body from viruses and
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infections. It may also cause the body to take a longer period to recover from different illnesses

and diseases. The lack of sleep also affects the respiratory system as well as the cardiovascular

system. Obstructive sleep apnea, a breathing disorder that affects the respiratory system, can

disrupt a person's sleep period and consistency. You are more vulnerable to lung/respiratory

illnesses like the flu and the common cold if you wake up in the night due to sleep deprivation.

Sleep deprivation may exacerbate chronic lung diseases. Sleep may have an effect on a variety of

processes that keep your heart and blood vessels healthy, such as blood pressure, blood sugar,

and inflammation levels. Sleep deprivation has a negative impact on the body's ability to heal

and rebuild blood vessels and the heart. Sleep deprivation has a negative impact on the digestive

system. The hormones leptin and ghrelin, which help the body regulate its feelings of fullness

and hunger, are affected by a lack of sleep. Leptin communicates with the brain that the body has

had enough food. Sleep deprivation reduces the amount of leptin in the body and increases the

amount of ghrelin. Ghrelin is a hormone that causes the body to think it’s hungry and encourages

eating. When you get less sleep, your body also gets too tired to do any exercise, leading to

weight gain and obesity. Hormone production is one of the most important things dependent on

sleep levels. The growth hormone production is extremely affected by sleep deprivation,

especially in teens and children. The pituitary gland releases growth hormone throughout the

day, but also getting a good night's rest helps release this hormone. (Watson and Cherney)

Sleep problems create medical issues for people and have a large impact on our economic

environment. When people start to experience drowsiness and medical symptoms of sleep loss,

they tend to go to the doctor seeking advice. The doctor will have the patient conduct sleep

studies, polysomnography, and other tests. These tests come at a cost for the patient. According

to an article by Brandon Peters, a polysomnography test is anywhere from $600 to $5,000 for
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each night of study. Though, Medicare would cover most of the cost, if eligible. The cost of the

polysomnogram would cover the room you stay in, the sleep technician that takes care of the

person for the night, the electroencephalogram (measures the electrical activity in the brain). The

study looks at the person’s sleep apnea (total breaths that last for ten seconds), insomnia,

narcolepsy, periodic limb movements, excessive daytime sleepiness, circadian rhythm disorders,

and parasomnias. Typically when people do not get enough sleep, they are not as productive.

When people don’t get as much sleep, businesses and industries lose valuable working days each

year. It is estimated that this costs businesses and industries in the United States around $411

billion according to a study by Marco Hafner and his team. They also found that small changes

in different sleep schedules could have a large impact on the economy. If people would get more

sleep the economy would go up and if they were not sleeping as much, the economy would go

down. (Hafner)

When it comes to sleep it is not uncommon to hear people say that “they do not need a lot

of sleep” or “they do not have time to sleep.” Advances in technology and today’s social

environment have created a shift in how people prioritize sleep. Out of 7.7 billion people in the

world, 3.5 billion are on social media. This means that one out of every three people is connected

to social media. People have a fear of missing out on activities, social events, or social media

searches. Many people get sucked into browsing social media rather than putting their phones

down to sleep. Being exposed to the bright light of a phone or the informational overload before

sleep creates unwanted sleep disturbances and few hours of overall sleep.

Sleep is important for our mental and physical well-being. In today's age, sleep

deprivation due to poor sleeping habits is becoming more common. Social media, the constant

fear of missing out on activities, and increased stress levels are creating an unhealthy sleep
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atmosphere. This atmosphere has caused elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and substance

abuse. The cost associated with the increased health problems is not only measured in dollar

value, but also through the ultimate cost of the loss of life itself.
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Work Cited*

(1)Chung, Cindy, "Possible Causes of Sleep Deprivation" Verywell Health,

2019,https://www.verywellhealth.com/can-sleep-deprivation-cause-hallucinations-3014669.

Accessed 4/4/2021

(2) Foley, Logan. “Causes and Consequences of Sleepiness among College Students.” PubMed

Central (PMC), Dove Press, 23 June 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4075951.

Accessed 3/28/2021.

(3) Ford, D E, and D B Kamerow. “Epidemiologic study of sleep disturbances and psychiatric

disorders. An opportunity for prevention?.” JAMA vol. 262,11 (1989): 1479-84.

doi:10.1001/jama.262.11.1479 . Accessed 3/28/2021.

(4) Ford, Jeff, "Your Body On... Sleep Deprivation" Skyterra, 2017,

https://skyterrawellness.com/wellness/infographic-sleep-deprivation-body/. Accessed 4/4/2021.

(5) Publishing, Harvard Health. “Blue Light Has a Dark Side.” Harvard Health, 7 July 2020,

www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side. Accessed 3/28/2021.

(6) Hafner, Marco, et al. “The Costs of Insufficient Sleep.” RAND Corporation, Rand Europe, 30

Nov. 2016,

www.rand.org/randeurope/research/projects/the-value-of-the-sleep-economy.html#:~:text=Sleep

%20deprivation%20is%20associated%20with,sleep%20at%20least%20seven%20hours.

Accessed 3/28/2021.

(7)“AAP Supports Childhood Sleep Guidelines.” HealthyChildren.org, 13 July 2016,

ww.healthychildren.org/English/news/Pages/AAP-Supports-Childhood-Sleep-Guidelines.aspx#:
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~:text=The%20consensus%20group%20recommends%20the%20following%20sleep%20hours%

3A&text=Children%206%20to%2012%20years,basis%20to%20promote%20optimal%20health.

Accessed 3/28/2021.

(8)Health, Adventist. "How Sleep Affects Your Health". Adventist Health website, 2015,

https://www.adventisthealth.org/blog/2015/october/sleep-deprivation-8211-how-sleep-affects-yo

ur-he/. Accessed 4/4/2021

(9) Hershner, Shelley. Chervin, Ronald. “Causes and Consequences of Sleepiness among College

Students.” PubMed Central (PMC), Dove Press, 23 June 2014,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4075951. Accessed 3/28/2021

(10) “Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep.” National Institute of Neurological Disorders and

Stroke, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 13 Aug. 2019, 10:02,

www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep. Accessed

3/27/2021.

(11) Newsom, Rob. “Sleep & Social Media: Staying Connected Can Keep You Up.” Sleep

Foundation, Sleep Foundation, 13 Nov. 2020,

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(12) Pacheco, Danielle. “Alcohol and Sleep.” Sleep Foundation, A OneCare Media Company, 4

Sept. 2020,

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%20sleep,as%20liver%20enzymes%20metabolize%20alcohol. Accessed 3/28/2021.

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(13) Peters, Brandon. “The Critical Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Your Body and Health.”

Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 24 Nov. 2019,

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(14) Pietilä, Julia et al. “Acute Effect of Alcohol Intake on Cardiovascular Autonomic

Regulation During the First Hours of Sleep in a Large Real-World Sample of Finnish

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doi:10.2196/mental.9519 . Accessed 3/28/2021.

(15) Stubblefield, Heaven. Hypersomnia, Healthline, 15 Aug. 2019,

www.healthline.com/health/hypersomnia#prevention. Accessed 3/28/2021.

(16) Suni, Eric. “Anxiety and Sleep.” Sleep Foundation, A OneCare Media Company, 10 Dec.

2020, www.sleepfoundation.org/mental-health/anxiety-and-sleep. Accessed 3/28/2021.

(17) Suni, Eric. “Sleep Deprivation: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment.” Sleep Foundation, A

OneCare Media Company, 4 Nov. 2020, www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation. Accessed

3/27/2021.

(18) Volkow, Nora. “Connections between Sleep and Substance Use Disorders.” National

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www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/noras-blog/2020/03/connections-between-sleep-substance-use-di

sorders. Accessed 3/28/2021.

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(19) Watson, Stephanie, and Kristeen Cherney. “The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Your Body

.” Healthline, 15 May 2020, www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body.

Accessed 3/28/2021.