Sleep Deprivation

We spend one third of our lives sleeping...or trying to. It's amazing how awful we feel after only one night with little or no sleep. Sleep (or the lack of it) greatly affects our health. Laboratory rats that were not allowed to rest, died within two to three weeks. Humans are also greatly adversely affected by a lack of sleep. More and more research indicates that sleep deprivation affects our thinking process. When we do not have adequate rest, we lose our ability to reason properly, to concentrate, and to make good decisions. We are not very pleasant to be around, because we are exhausted, irritable, impatient and moody. Long term sleep deficit can contribute to depression. Some other surprising effects of not getting enough sleep, are hypertension, cardiovascular problems, slurred speech and tremors. Even hallucinations have occurred. Our immune system becomes impaired, and we suffer more sickness and infection as a result. Because of hormonal changes that result from a lack of sleep, many people may gain weight. Accidents often occur due to impaired reasoning. 200,000 auto accidents each year are a result of sleepy drivers.

Sleep deprivation can even bring about accelerated aging. Human growth hormone is produced during restful sleep, and this helps strengthen the bones, builds muscle, thickens the skin, and helps us to retain a more youthful appearance. As previously mentioned, the stress and emotional fatigue that results from sleep loss, can also affect the aging process. Sleep is a very valuable restorative tool for the body.