What are the dangers of sleep deprivation?

It is well known that sleep is very important for proper functioning of the human body and mind. How much sleep one needs and how much is enough for an individual depends on several factors and it is definitely not the same for everyone, but if a person is deprived of sufficient sleep, the fact is that it will only have negative effect on many aspects of life, particularly on the long run. No matter how harmless and insignificant it might seem, the truth is that sleep deprivation can have a number of serious effects on a person’s health. Physical, as well as mental health and state of an individual can be affected in a negative way if a person is deprived of sleep on the long run.

Negative effects of sleep deprivation

Besides the fact that sleep deprivation has a number of negative effects on the human body and mind, it can also be dangerous, particularly if a person drives or operates with some heavy machinery. Regardless of the cause, sleep deprivation will primarily affect learning ability of the person, its memory and concentration, as well as mood, judgment and ability to make decisions. The person will feel more irritable and changes in the mood will be frequent and sometimes even drastic. Besides, dealing with stress will be much more difficult than it used to be, and a number of emotional problems is likely to emerge, of which the most serious are definitely anxiety and depression. The immune system will also be impaired, which will increase the person’s susceptibility to colds and other infections. As for the long-term consequences and dangers, the risk of experiencing heart related issues and problems, diabetes, and even obesity will be significantly increased, while the process of aging will be accelerated no matter how much the person might try to delay or slow it down.

For those who work, their job and the quality of performing it will also be influenced due to the constant sleepiness, tiredness and decreased concentration. Sleepy and tired people should not drive because their coordination is also decreased, while their reflexes do not function as normally, which increases the risks of road accidents. This all implies that the sleep is much more important than we might be aware of it, which is why it is definitely not a good idea to save our time on it, or to ignore problems with sleep if they occur.