Sleep deprivation refers to lack of sleep, or lack of quality sleep. There are two types of sleep deprivation: acute sleep deprivation which refers to short-term or a limited amount of sleep deprivation, and chronic sleep deprivation which refers to being deprived for 3 or more months which has more serious risks.
The risks associated with sleep deprivation include slower reaction times, weakened immune response, low mood and irritability, and changes to your appearance if it’s short term. If you’re experiencing sleep deprivation for 3 or more months, you may experience an increased risk of serious health conditions, impacts on your brain function, low energy levels, hormonal imbalance and emotional drain.
Ever find that your brain won’t switch off, even at 2am? Whether you’re trying to count sheep so you doze off, or you’ve eaten stimulating foods just before bedtime, these consistent patterns can cause you to be sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation doesn’t just refer to ‘not sleeping’, it’s the term used when you’re consistently getting less sleep than your body and brain need to function optimally. But why do we enter these patterns? And how can we spot them so we can ensure it doesn’t affect our health? Let’s take a further look at what sleep deprivation is and what risks it can cause.
What is sleep deprivation?
Sleep deprivation refers to not getting enough sleep or at least not getting enough quality sleep over a period of time. There are two types of sleep deprivation that you can experience, going by the duration:
Acute sleep deprivation: The short term issue of getting a few nights of poor sleep.
Chronic sleep deprivation: The long-term issue of sleep deprivation, often causing you to experience bad sleep for weeks or even months.
How common is sleep deprivation?
Sleep deprivation is very common, with every person experiencing the issue at least once in their lifetime.
How much sleep do we need?
Sleep is very important, with each age group requiring a certain amount to ensure they can tackle everyday tasks to the best of their ability, and for emotional regulation. However, it can vary for some people who may need more or less sleep to feel well-rested, but this is rare. Usually, the amount of sleep needed is:
1-12 months old - 14-15 hours
1-3 years old - 12-14 hours
3-6 years old - 10-12 hours
7-12 years old - 10-11 hours
12-18 years old - 8-9 hours
18-65 years old - 7-9 hours
65+ years old - 7-8 hours
If you’re sleep deprived, you won’t be meeting this duration or if you are, you’re likely not getting restful, quality sleep. This isn’t something to be concerned about if it doesn’t happen often or if it’s for a limited amount of time, but chronic sleep deprivation can cause or contribute to a range of health issues.
Sleep Deprivation Symptoms
If you’re sleep deprived, there are usually clear signs. These can include but are not limited to:
Waking up groggy, and coffee not being able to fix it
Mood swings or feeling irritable
Forgetfulness or struggling to focus
Feeling “wired but tired” at night
Requiring naps so you can make it through the day
If you’re getting the right amount of sleep, but still wake up feeling tired, groggy and grumpy, it’s likely you’re getting poor-quality sleep which could be down to your sleep environment or lifestyle habits.
How can sleep deprivation affect me short-term?
If you’re experiencing short term sleep deprivation, it can affect you in more ways than one. Here’s what to expect:
Slower reaction times: This can be the most detrimental for important tasks like driving or working.
Weakened immune response: You may be more likely to pick up things like common colds and other viruses without restorative sleep.
Low mood and irritability: You may feel you have a shorter temper or automatically feel under the weather once you wake up.
Changes to your appearance: You may see noticeable changes to your facial appearance, including duller skin or bags under the eyes.
How can sleep deprivation affect me long-term?
The long-term risks of sleep deprivation are much more serious than those associated with short-term. If you’ve been experiencing sleep deprivation for 3 months or more, it’ll have a significant impact on your body and brain function. Here’s what long-term sleep deprivation effects could arise:
Increased risk of serious health conditions, including heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
Impacts on your brain function, including cognitive decline and issues with your memory.
Low energy levels and hormonal imbalance, causing you to feel ‘off’ in yourself, and potential mood swings.
Emotional drain, heightening anxiety levels while lowering your mood and leading you to burnout.
However, that isn’t to say that you can’t reduce these risks by improving your sleep hygiene.
How to improve your sleep hygiene
To minimise the risks and reduce the side effects of sleep deprivation, we recommend you invest in your sleep hygiene. Here’s some of our top tips:
Follow a regular sleep schedule It’s important you go to bed and wake up at the same time, even on weekends. By doing so, you’ll regulate your internal body clock, making it easier for you to drift off as it’s what your body will expect.
Create a consistent & relaxing bedtime routine Create a relaxing bedtime routine and then stick with it. Whether it’s reading, meditating, journalling or listening to calming music before bed, you’ll want to opt for things that aren’t stimulating, and which’ll help you unwind. Having a relaxing bedtime routine will also signal to your mind and body that it’s time to rest.
Watch your caffeine and alcohol consumption You should try to avoid caffeinated beverages and foods in the afternoon and evening in the run up to bedtime as this’ll heighten your energy levels, making it hard for you to drift off. Similarly, avoid alcohol because although it can make you feel tired, it’ll likely cause disruption to your sleep.
Create a sleep-inducing environment To support you in falling asleep, you need to be in a calming and relaxing space. To achieve this, keep your bedroom dark, cool and quiet. Your room should ideally be between 16-18°C, and there’s always the help of blackout curtains, sleep masks and white noise machines alongside.
Keep naps short (and early) It’s important that you keep your nap between 20-30 minutes if you feel a nap is necessary that day. You should also avoid taking a nap from the late afternoon as this can impact how easy it is to sleep at night.
Get daily exercise Moving your body daily can promote better sleep, as long as it’s not too close to bedtime. It does this by regulating the body’s internal clock, reducing your anxiety and stress levels and contributing to your body’s temperature. Also, any form of physical activity increases melatonin production, the sleep-regulating hormone, and adenosine, which helps you feel sleepy.
Expose yourself to daylight
By exposing yourself to natural daylight every day, you’ll support the regulation of your circadian rhythm which in turn will improve your sleep quality. Your circadian rhythm refers to your body’s internal 24-hour clock.
Improve your bed set-up
If you can’t get comfortable at night, this could impact how easy it is for you to fall and stay asleep. Investing in your sleep set-up will naturally help your body to feel relaxed, especially when opting for high-quality and breathable materials. At Premier Inn at Home, we understand the importance of quality sleep, which is why we’ve put love into our mattresses, pillows and duvet.
Suitable for year-round use, these products have been specially designed to encapsulate a hotel-quality sleep through luxurious materials and personalised support.
FAQs
Can you die from sleep deprivation?
While it’s very rare to die from sleep deprivation, it can be a contributing factor if you’ve had an accident due to lack of sleep, or if your sleep deprivation has exacerbated a serious health problem.
Can sleep deprivation cause weight gain?
Yes, it’s possible to gain weight from sleep deprivation as it can disrupt the hormones that control your appetite, causing you to have unhealthy cravings.
Does sleep deprivation cause high blood pressure?
Yes, it’s possible for sleep deprivation to cause high blood pressure as it’ll likely increase your stress levels while effecting the nervous system, raising your blood pressure levels.
Can sleep deprivation cause dizziness?
Yes, as sleep deprivation can cause dizziness by causing disruption to your balance, affecting your alertness, and as a result, affecting your blood pressure and circulation.
Can sleep deprivation cause headaches?
Yes, as lack of sleep can impact brain chemicals, increase your stress levels, and dilute your blood vessels, which can lead to head pain.
If you’re concerned of the impact of sleep deprivation and you’ve tried everything you can to minimise its effects, we recommend reaching out to your GP who can offer you the support you need. We hope our tips on how to improve your sleep hygiene were helpful; if you’d like a further read, discover our article on how to improve your sleep environment for more insights.