Sleep Deprivation and the Tax it Takes on the Body
A large number of Americans have become the victim to sleep deprivation. Most not really grasping the causes or even realizing that there is a problem. One main source is not getting enough sleep at night, in addition to what goes on during every day life with demanding obligations. Finding out what keeps people from obtaining enough sleep at night will assist in the prevention of sleep deprivation. Everyone is different in many ways on why the morning always seems to come too early. Medications, alcohol, stress throughout the day and long work hours can all take part in this issue.
Many main concerns of sleep deprivation is the tax that it takes on the body. “We’re shifting to a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week society, and as a result we’re increasingly not sleeping like we used to,” said Najib T. Ayas of the University of British Columbia. “We’re really only now starting to understand how that is affecting health, and it appears to be significant ” (Stein). Weight gain as well as loss has been shown from not only the foods that are eaten but the time in which it is consumed. “There has been an avalanche of studies in this area. It’s moving very rapidly,” said Emmanuel Mignot of Stanford University, who wrote an editorial accompanying the new obesity study in the October issue of the journal Sleep. “People are starting to believe that there is an important relationship between short sleep and all sorts of health problems.” (Stein). “We found that short sleep, less than six hours, was associated with a significant, three-fold increased likelihood of developing IFG, compared to people who got an average of six to eight hours sleep a night,” said Dr Saverio Stranges, lead author of this study. (Peng)
Adults, who get the least amount of sleep, appear to show the most gain in weight and to over time develop obesity. The amount of sleep that is consumed or not in this case, can also cause problems psychologically. Studies have also proven that the amount of sleep a person gets at night can generally determine that person’s mood. Changes can be both short and long term. Sleep doesn’t immediately chase away the negativity, according to a 2006 review published in the Annual Review of Psychology. Robert Stickgold, associate professor of psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, says data suggest that even after sleep-deprived people get a couple of nights of good sleep, there is still a “horrible bias shift’’ in their memories of events from the day after their lost sleep. (Foreman). Happiness comes from a good night’s sleep in accordance to this study.
Sleep deprivation affects the body in many different ways, ranging from general mood disorders to body weight and physical health. Studies have proven that getting a lack of sleep has become more serious than originally thought. Obesity has risen not only from bad nutrition habits, but the time of day in which the food is consumed. Basic wear and tear on the body causing the type of damage that eventually leads to death if not treated in time. Not enough sleep over time also causes mental stress as well. Keeping a recap in the back of the mind of previous events that causes the stress in the first place. Making a good night’s sleep more important than just an apple a day keeping the doctor away.
Works Cited:
Foreman, Judy. “Sleep Deprivation and Negative Emotions.”. The Boston Globe. 3rd of August 2009. Web
Peng Ho, Wee. “Sleep Deprivation Increase Risk of Diabetes and Heart Disease”. The National News. 16th of September 2010. Web
Stein, Rob. “Scientists Finding Out What Losing Sleep Does to a Body”. The Post. 9th of October 2005. Web
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