Sleep Deprivation : Symptoms And Can Lower Your Body 's Natural Defense System Essay

A common problem in many young adults in college is sleep deprivation. College students are some of the most sleep deprived people. Their sleep hygiene behavior is worse than adults. An adequate amount of sleep time is 7 to 8 hours each night to complete a regular sleep cycle. When college students have less sleep time, they are disturbing their sleeping cycle and their bodies respond by decreasing their ability to concentrate on tasks. Sleep deprivation can affect your everyday life in many different ways. For instances, it can decrease your physical health, mental health, and academic performance. The following articles will be focusing on

Sleep deprivation is a serious concern among college students, who are "among the most sleep-deprived age group in the United States," (Central Michigan University, 2008). It is important to study the causes of sleep deprivation, or sleep disorders, among college students. According to Park (2009), "dozens of studies have linked an increase in nightly sleep to better cognition and alertness." A study by Central Michigan University (2008) found that sleep deprivation can lead to poor academic performance, impaired driving, depression, and behavioral problems. There are several variables that may affect sleeping patterns among college students. One is genetics or biological issues. It is highly

Sleep Deprivation is the issue that prevalent among university’s first year students. According to Hershner & Chervin (2014) , half of the university respondents indicated daytimes sleepiness and 70% attain insufficient sleep .

In today’s society, many people go through many days yawning, fighting to stay awake and indulging in many cups of coffee. If you were to ask them what the cause of their restlessness was, the popular statement would be a lack of sleep. However, most would not dare to think that a lack of sleep could cause multiple issues in everyday life. This problem has been seen to peak during the good ole college days. It is hard to imagine that those days of all-night cramming sessions and those late nights partying causing students to be sleep deprived could lead to a variety of problems like stress, long term insomnia, and a weakened immune system.

The age ranges for the participants were selected based off of previous research regarding development during puberty; sleep patterns during college and the transition between adolescence and adulthood. The subjects for this study were otherwise healthy individuals subjected to sleep-deprivation manipulation over the course of two nights, with most of the deprivation occurring the second night in the laboratory. Prior to reaching a state of sleep deprivation participants complete the Stanford Sleepiness Scale or SSS (Shown in Figure 1.) to obtain a baseline.

Since technology has become more about of society there has been a trend in people who are not getting a full night’s rest. According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, “at least 40 million Americans suffer from chronic, long-term sleep disorders” (Sleep Disorders and Sleeping Problems”). There are several causes for the increase in lack of sleep or sleep deprivation; which include, using electronics late at night, using your bed for more than just sleeping, and anxiety.

In my article about Sleep Deprivation Boosts Anticipatory Anxiety a correlation exists between sleep deprivation and increased levels of anxiety. The research team at UC Berkeley suggests when someone is sleep deprived and anticipating either a neutral or disturbing image to appear, activity in the emotional brain centers increases, thus indicating an elevated level of anxiety. This correlation, however, does not indicate causation. Causation would imply that sleep deprivation alone is what causes elevated levels of anxiety. This could be false because increased activity in the emotional brain centers could be caused by other factors instead sleep deprivation. For example, external stresses such as a big test coming up could be elevating activity

There have been reports which have said sleep deprivation not only increases sleepiness but it also accelerates deterioration of mood (Kaida and Niki). Sleep and mood are closely connected; poor or inadequate sleep can be the source of irritability and anxiety, while healthy sleep can enhance well-being (Sleep and Mood). Therefore, sleep is crucial to have a pleasant mood and outlook on life on a daily basis. The typical adult requires about seven to eight hours of sleep for each night to have good well-being. University of Pennsylvania researchers found that subjects who were restricted to only four and a half hours of sleep a night for one week reported feeling more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted (Sleep and Mood). Furthermore, college students who

Sleep deprivation has been a real problem for me for the past several years of my life. My sleep schedule has gotten terrible, where I end up sleeping well into the night and waking up utterly exhausted. Fed up with my self-insolence, I decided to focus on this problem for my project. Throughout the semester, by delving into the intricacies of this problem, I have discovered a great deal about sleep deprivation and how it relates to me. In this project, I documented how my problem has progressed, how I went about attempting to solve the problem, and the results of my methodologies in solving my sleep deprivation.

Richard Simmons once said, “There is no such thing as sleep deprivation, there is only caffeine deficiency.” College students everywhere have claimed this as their motto. From art majors who stay up late practicing charcoal and shading, to nursing majors who are stressing all night studying for their exams and practicums, to engineering majors who think a good night’s sleep is three or four hours, sleep has rarely been prioritised in college. Psychology Professors at the University of Hong Kong, Cheung and Chung are correct in their claim that, “insufficient sleep and irregular sleep-wake schedules among adolescents has become a major international health concern” (185). Through a personal survey taken of around 200 incoming students at George Fox University, the majority (48%) allowed for six to seven hours of sleep a night, and only three of the students claimed to hit the necessary nine of hours or more of sleep a night for functionality and growth in teenagers (Thomas). Sleep deprivation is a major dilemma among college and university students, and it has been proven to specifically impair moods and affect memory, subsequently resulting in lower grade point averages and academic participation. This cumulatively results in the deterioration of quality of learning due to stress and increased risk of academic failure. The goal of this study is to help provide the public with statistical information to raise awareness of the seriousness of sleep deprivation and sleep debt

Sleep plays a major role in people 's lives. Evidence has shown that enough sleep promotes good health and well-being (Ojikutu, R. 2010). It plays a key role in maintaining a healthy brain function,in helping to establish emotional well-being, and in improving overall health since it repairs the heart and blood vessels (Ojikutu, R., 2010). According to the restorative theory, sleep is very necessary to "the physical health and serves to replenish chemicals and repair cellular damage (Ciccarelli, 2012, p. 103). This theory means that the body is trying to achieve a stable psychological state and suggests that sleep will recover and restore the body into full working capacity (Ciccarelli, 2012, p. 103). According to Ojikutu (2010; 2), "sleep is essential to the body and its functions, promoting bodily rest and rejuvenation in the neurons and other cells that are replaced or repaired during times of sleep". Considering the benefits of sleep, scientists recommend a full 9 to 10 hours of sleep for college students (Ojikutu, R., 2010).

Sleep is as important to the body as eating healthy and staying hydrated. Sleep has a lot of positive results on the body like for example it helps with muscle growth, tissue repair, protein synthesis, and growth hormone release, all which can only occur during sleep. Other rejuvenating aspects of sleep are specific to the brain and cognitive functions. Studies have shown that after people sleep they tend to retain information better which helps with memory tasks. Without sleep or the lack of a significant amount of sleep the body cannot function to its fullest potential. The body then struggles with the task of performing everyday activities. So it is important to sleep.

The National Sleep Foundation describes sleep deprivation as damaging and, in extreme circumstances, life-threatening (Orzech, Salafsky & Hamilton 2011). Sleep deprivation is defined as ‘obtaining inadequate sleep to support adequate daytime alertness’ (Hershner & Chervin 2014). Sleep is necessary for memory consolidation, learning, effective decision-making and critical thinking, with sleep deprivation widely recognized as a significant public health issue (Gilbert & Weaver 2010). Many university students experience sleep deprivation with 86% of students reporting that is was a regular occurrence to wake up tired (Gaultney 2010). Additionally, 59% of young adults self reported going to bed late and not getting enough sleep (Gaultney 2010). This may be due to stress and physiological considerations, disruptive student living, social events, technological distractions, and drugs/alcohol consumption whilst at university (Gaultney 2010).

Sleep deprivation has many dangerous causes and even more dangerous effects. These causes and effects are real issues that affect many people’s lives. Sleep deprivation has many effects that people do not really understand. These effects not only their day, but also their lives. Some people have to use a CPAP machine to breathe. Sleep deprivation also causes obesity and type two diabetes. Sleep deprivation not only affects the physical aspects of people, it also affects a person’s mentality. This causes people to see and hear things that are not there. It also can cause Insomnia which is a sleep disorder where people cannot sleep fully or stay asleep. Sleep deprivation causes many more problems than many think Sleep deprivation all the way to mood control. Scientists say the mood has a correlation to how a person sleeps. Sleep is also an absolute requirement for the body, so no sleep messes with people quite a bit. This is traced all the way to the hormones and muscle structure.

Sleep deprivation is a condition in which a person does not get enough sleep (What Are Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency). A majority of people need anywhere between eight to nine hours of sleep (Why Lack of Sleep Is Bad For Your Health). When a person does not get the amount of sleep that they need, the body does not have the proper amount of time to repair itself. Some symptoms of sleep deprivation are always being hungry, gaining weight, one becomes more impulsive and has mood swings, indecisiveness, lack of motor skills, increase in acne and falling asleep without realizing it (11 Signs). A person can also be affected by microsleeping. Microsleeping is the condition in which a person falls asleep throughout the day for seconds or sometimes minutes without them realizing it. The lack of sleep can have many negative effects on one’s health. Sleep deprivation can cause an increase in acne, it can cause harm to the central nervous system, digestive system, and it can cause psychological problems.