Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation is highly common among people of all ages and can be exceptionally dangerous in many ways. It is important for everyone, young and old, to get at least six to nine hours of sleep a night to function properly throughout the day. Getting the proper amount of sleep, however, does not always happen for most people. The causes of sleep deprivation can vary, but some possible causes of sleep deprivation can be caused by the stresses of daily life, mental or medical conditions that can disrupt normal sleeping patterns, or perhaps we trade sleep for more work or play.

An inadequate amount of sleep can lead to fatigue. When fatigued, you aren't going to be as physically active, which could lead to a decline in physical health and cause negative mood-related symptoms. Without adequate rest, the potential of making a serious mistake increases. The mind and body need to recuperate to prevail over the fatigues that someone may feel. The brains ability to function rapidly deteriorates without proper recuperation. Your brain has to work harder to counteract the effects that sleep deprivation can cause to your body. As a result, your concentration levels drop tremendously and memory becomes impaired. Also, reaction time is deeply affected. This could make a simple task as crossing the street dangerous.

Long term sleep deprivation can lead to long term consequences on the body. One of the more serious effects of habitual sleep deprivation can be depression. Depression can cause people to lose interest in things that they once enjoyed, cause feelings of overwhelming sadness or feelings of worthlessness. Continuously disrupted or inadequate sleeping patterns, can also lead to increased stress levels, weakness, and other serious medical illnesses, including high blood pressure, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and obesity.

In conclusion, sleep deprivation is a serious issue that many people of all ages do not take seriously. Many