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Brady Cooper

Prof. Wright

English 1201

1 May 2022

The Importance of Sleep

Imagine being so dedicated to your research that you stay awake for 180 hours to study

the effects of sleep deprivation on yourself. This is what Nathaniel Kleitman did in the 1950’s.

Now known as “The Father of Sleep”, Kleitman was one of the earliest researchers who put all

of his time into researching sleep. He also discovered the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of

sleep, where your heart rate increases, breathing speeds up, and intense dreams can occur. He did

many experiments on his relatives and close friends, and practically dedicated his entire life to

the study of sleep. His 180 hours of sleeplessness allowed him to experience true sleep

deprivation and the effects that it can have. His studies caused many other people to start

research on sleep, but there is still much that is unknown (“Nathaniel Kleitman”). Sleep

deprivation can negatively affect mental and physical health, and produce not only short term

effects but long term damage as well.

Kleitman said that long period without sleep were torture, and “‘someone would confess

anything just to be allowed to sleep’”(“Nathaniel Kleitman”). These periods of sleep deprivation

and the effects that it can have will be the focus of this essay. Like stated above, sleep was not

very heavily studied until Kleitman had popularized some of his studies and discovered the REM

stage of sleep in the mid 1950’s. Since then, sleep has become an ever expanding field of

research. Many different sleep disorders and conditions have been discovered, such as sleep

apnea, or insomnia. Even more research had to be done to find treatments for these disorders.
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Becoming more and more apparent every year, sleep deprivation is a major problem in

today’s world, especially with the young population being constantly stimulated by their

smartphones. It is becoming harder and harder for people to get quality sleep long enough.

According to the CDC, about 33% of adults said that they were not getting enough sleep, as well

as 40% that said they unintentionally fell asleep once a month or more.. (“Sleep Deprivation and

Deficiency”). This evidence from the CDC shows overwhelming proof that sleep deprivation is a

major problem in today’s world. Too many people are not getting the precious sleep that they

need, and this can cause issues later in life.

Sleep deprivation is connected to mental health disorders, and plays a large role in

psychological well-being. One of the major disorders connected with sleep deprivation is

depression. 65% - 90% of adults with depression have some kind of sleeping problem, and 90%

of children with depression have a sleeping problem (Miller). Poor sleep can cause people to

develop symptoms of depression, as well as make symptoms of depression worse. Many people

with depression also suffer from daytime sleepiness, like kids falling asleep in school (Sleep

Foundation). This can also include adults being sleepy at work. Sleep deprivation has far

reaching effects, and doesn’t only cause depression.

Other mental health disorders are associated with sleep deprivation, such as ADHD,

bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders. Problems in sleep affect 25% to 50 % of children with

ADHD (Miller). While it is unknown whether sleep deprivation causes ADHD, there is certainly

a relationship. It has been shown that sleep deprivation can make symptoms of bipolar disorder

worse. There are two periods in bipolar disorder, one being the mania period, where emotional

highs occur, and the depressive period, where emotional lows occur. During manic periods,

people feel less need to sleep, and during depressed periods they may sleep more. There is also
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evidence that shows that sleep problems can be an indicator that a manic or depressive period is

about to start, and can make these periods worse. (Sleep Foundation). On the other hand, anxiety

and sleep deprivation go hand in hand. There is evidence that sleep deprivation causes anxiety,

and that anxiety also causes sleep deprivation. This makes sense because constant thinking and

worrying in your mind could cause you not to fall asleep, while not being able to fall asleep

could cause you to start worrying about issues in your life.

Sleep deprivation can also have major effects on physical health as well. Sleep allows

your body to recoup and during the night and wake up ready for the next day. Obviously, sleep

deprivation can cause loss of concentration and focus throughout the day, therefore causing a

decrease in productivity. This can be especially seen in kids who are sleep deprived, who have

trouble learning and focusing throughout the day in school. This can also be seen in the

workplace where adults may have trouble completing their tasks. Unfortunately, these are some

of the more minor effects of sleep deprivation on physical health.

Many chronic health problems can stem from or be worsened by a lack of sleep. Some of

these are heart and kidney disease, stroke, and diabetes. (“Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency”).

Fortunately, one restless night is not going to cause you to have a heart attack. The whole idea of

sleep deprivation is an ongoing issue with not getting enough sleep or lacking quality sleep

constantly. Consistently being sleep deprived is what increases the chances for all of these

serious health issues.

Although sleep deprivation can be a danger to yourself, it can also be a danger to others.

It can interfere with driving, causing you to have trouble focusing and reacting, and possibly

resulting in accidents. One article states, “Sleep deficiency is also linked to a higher chance of

injury in adults, teens, and children… In older adults, sleep deficiency may be linked to a higher
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chance of falls and broken bones” (“Sleep deprivation and Deficiency”). Sleep deprivation has

also been associated with human mistakes and tragic events. For example, it has been said that

the disastrous Chernobyl nuclear reactor meltdown had some association with sleep deprivation.

Fatigued employees had been working for 13 hours straight when they failed to prevent the

meltdown of the reactor (“Short On Sleep? You Could Be A Disaster Waiting To Happen”). This

fatigue and lack of sleep would have caused the workers difficulty focusing and reacting in a

timely manner, which was the cause of the meltdown. Approximately 31 people died from this

incident with over 100 being

diagnosed with radiation sickness.

This disaster could have been

prevented if the workers had gotten

an adequate amount of sleep.

Another important factor

within sleep is the growth and

development that occurs. Humans

actually grow the most when they

are sleeping. Deep sleep releases

The aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear growth-promoting hormones that

reactor meltdown facilitate muscle growth, fertility,

and social growth (Sleep Foundation). This is especially important in children, when people

grow the most. Not getting enough sleep can lead to developmental issues in children, which

means that they may struggle interacting socially with other children. The duration of deep sleep
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slows down as you get older, because less development is needed. Many sleep problems more

severely affect children than they can adults.

Memory consolidation also occurs within sleep. Good sleep allows you to better

remember things you learned that day, whereas worse sleep will cause you to forget these things

more easily (Miletínová, Eva, and Jitka Bušková.). Sleep has no effect on long term memory

however, and only has a real effect on memory of recent events. One example of this could be a

student studying for a test. It will be easier for them to remember the material that they have

studied if they get a good night of rest. The effects of sleep deprivation in school are far reaching

and can have various negative effects.

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The last, and most significant effect of sleep deprivation is the chance of early death. In

one study it was shown that 7 hours is the most desirable amount of sleep. There was an increase

in death rates for people who got

less than or equal to 6 hours of

sleep nightly (Åkerstedt, Torbjörn,

et al). The study also showed that

sleep duration is more important at

a younger age than at an older age.

Those who were less than 65 years

old were impacted more by getting

less sleep than those that were

older than 65. This evidence shows

This graph shows the steadily decreasing duration of
average sleep length in humans. the importance of sleep at a young

age. It is clear that a longer

duration of sleep leads to a longer lifespan. There are also other factors to account for, such as

napping during the daytime. This study also showed that more than 9 hours of sleep a day

resulted in an earlier death and a higher mortality rate for individuals younger than 65.

Many different factors can influence the quality of sleep. Some of these include gender,

physical activity, intake of substances, and more. These should all be considered when trying to

get the optimal amount of sleep. As it has been shown, sleep deprivation has many far-reaching

effects on human life and functionality. The amount of sleep that a person gets should be heavily

considered, especially at a young age. It is important to know what can affect your sleep and

what cannot, as well as what can happen if not enough sleep is obtained. The lifelong effects that
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can be present if sleep deprivation is continuous are extreme. I think that more young people

should be educated on the topic and be made aware of the consequences of sleep deprivation.

It is also important to note the opposition of the relationship between sleep deprivation

and various mental and physical effects. One of these relationships that has not been fully proved

is the relationship between sleep deprivation and memory consolidation. One argues that sleep

does not enhance memory skills, and only helps with remembering. It was also said that sleep

has no correlation with motor skills, and therefore sleep deprivation has no effect on motor

performance. It was shown that a study done on the relationship between memory and sleep was

inconclusive, and therefore no conclusion could actually be made on this relationship

(Miletínová, Eva, and Jitka Bušková). Of course, sleep deprivation does have an effect on focus

and concentration, which could indirectly affect motor skills.

In conclusion, there are a wide variety of negative effects that stem from sleep

deprivation. Especially at an early age, children are vulnerable to sleep deprivation that can cause

developmental issues as well as mental disorders. If there is continued sleep deprivation, there is

major risk for serious health effects, like heart attacks and strokes. Sleep is a vital part of every

person’s day and the duration and quality of their sleep must be taken into consideration. There

are many different things that can have an effect on overall sleep quality, and it is important to

know those. While there is still much research to be done in the field of sleep, many of the

effects of sleep deprivation and their relationship with mental and physical health are mostly

known.
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Works Cited

“After the Explosion.” CBS News, 11 March 2022,

https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/horrifying-photos-of-chernobyl-and-its-aftermath/.

Accessed 10 April 2022.

Chang, Ae Kyung, et al. “Factors Affecting the Quality of Sleep in Young Adults.” Journal of

Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing, vol. 32, no. 4, Dec. 2021, p. 497.,

https://doi.org/10.12799/jkachn.2021.32.4.497.
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Miller, Michael. "Sleep and Mental Health." Harvard Medical School Commentaries on Health,

edited by Harvard Health Publications, 1st edition, 2019. Credo Reference,

http://sinclair.ohionet.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/

hhphoh/sleep_and_mental_health/0?institutionId=6043. Accessed 06 Mar. 2022.

Miletínová, Eva, and Jitka Bušková. “Functions of Sleep.” Physiological Research, 2021, pp.

177–182., https://doi.org/10.33549/physiolres.934470.

“Nathaniel Kleitman.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 24 Aug. 1999,

https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/aug/25/guardianobituaries3.

Singh, Maanvi. “Short on Sleep? You Could Be a Disaster Waiting to Happen.” NPR, NPR, 12

May 2015, https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/05/12/406137352/short-on-

sleep-you-could-be-a-disaster-waiting-to-happen.

“Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency.” National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, U.S. Department

of Health and Human Services, https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/sleep-

deprivation-and-deficiency#:~:text=Sleep%20plays%20an%20important

%20role,pressure%2C%20 diabetes%2C%20and%20stroke.

Sleep Foundation, 3 Mar. 2022, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/.

Åkerstedt, Torbjörn, et al. “Sleep Duration, Mortality and the Influence of Age.” European

Journal of Epidemiology, vol. 32, no. 10, 2017, pp. 881–891.,

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-017-0297-0.
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