Some people choose to "get away" with less sleep, and this attitude
is often rewarded in our society. But lack of sleep can actually make you less
productive, even if you feel as though you're getting more done. Sleep deprivation
can do much more than hurt your productivity - it can damage your health as
well.
Sleep helps your body to repair itself. It also helps your mind absorb and
"file" the day's learning. When we deprive ourselves of sleep, we
notice the effects both mentally and physically. In the short term, these effects
include:
- fatigue
- irritability
- careless mistakes
- difficulty concentrating
- slower reaction times
- increased stress
These short-term effects can affect our relationships, our performance at work
or school, and our ability to enjoy life. They may even increase the risk of
injury and accidents at work or on the road.
After only a few days of sleep deprivation, the body undergoes changes similar
to "fast-forward" aging: memory loss, metabolism problems (with sugar
and hormones), and poor athletic performance. If sleep deprivation continues
over the long term, it increases the risk of more serious health problems, such
as:
- a weakened immune system
- diabetes (the body cannot process sugar properly)
- depression
- high blood pressure
- obesity
The good news is that you can prevent these long-term problems by recognizing
the early signs that you aren't getting enough sleep, and then to increase the
amount of sleep you're getting until you feel well rested. The greater the "sleep
debt" that you have, the longer it will take to recover.