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THE CAUSES, EFFECTS AND DANGERS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION
Nick Spano
English 10 R
Mrs. Jones
?/?/04
SLEEP DEPRIVATION
Sleep deprivation is a serious problem that affects many teens and adults, it impairs judgment and slows the decision making process; therefore, high schools across the country should start school no
earlier than 8:30.
I. the causes of sleep deprivation
A. Lifestyle
1. Caffeine is a stimulant, it should not be taken late in the day. Coffee and caffeinated beverages are best avoided from two to six hours before bedtime. Unfortunately, caffeine is often seen as fuel. Large amounts of caffeine intake often gives a dangerous cycle from day to day. You need to stay awake, so you drink coffee, but the caffeine prevents you from resting properly, so you're tired, and need caffeine to stay awake, and so on. Like caffeine, nicotine is a stimulant, so smoking before bedtime is not recommended. Avoid cigarettes and other nicotine sources before bedtime.
2. Your diet can also influence your sleeping habits. Eating a large meal two hours or less before bedtime can lead to indigestion, which can keep you awake. A diet rich in heavy and spicy foods may also disrupt your rest. Try to avoid drinking water, tea or other fluids before bedtime as they increase the likelihood that you’ll have to get up during the night to pee.
B. Medication
1. Sleeping pills are often used to treat insomnia, but long- term use is not recommended. The body builds up a tolerance for sleeping pills quickly. Within a month of constant use, the medication is doing little to help you any longer. Suddenly stopping such medication can also worsen sleep deprivation, something known as rebound insomnia.
C. Sleeping Disorders
1. Insomnia- Insomnia is difficulty either falling or staying asleep. Unlike most people think, insomnia is not a sleeping disorder, it is a symptom of sleeping disorders or other problems. Insomnia can be caused by stress, medical conditions and medication.
2. Sleep Apnea- Apnea occurs when people temporarily stop breathing while asleep. This stopping in breathing only lasts a few seconds, but can be repeated many times throughout the night. Oxygen levels in the brain drop, and carbon dioxide builds up. An observer may note that the sleeper snores, chokes or gasps for air. Often people wake suddenly when they stop breathing.
II. The effects of sleep deprivation
A. Mental Functioning
1. Without enough rest, the brain's ability to function quickly becomes worse. The brain works harder to correct sleep deprivation effects, but operates less effectively, concentration levels drop, and memory becomes impaired. Speech becomes slurred and fragmented, and mental reaction time slows.
B. The Immune System and Sleeping Habits
1. Enough rest and a properly functioning immune system are closely related. Sleep deprivation appears to weaken the immune system by altering the blood levels of specialized immune cells and important proteins called cytokines, resulting in a larger than normal chance of getting sick.
III. The dangers of sleep deprivation
A. Driver Fatigue
1. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 100,000 car accidents a year are caused by driver fatigue. That number that includes over 1,550 dead and 71,000 injured.
2. Sleep deprivation studies at the University of Chicago discovered that sleeping shortages quickly alter the body's ability to regulate glucose and produce insulin, copying the symptoms of impaired glucose tolerance. After a week of sleep deprivation, otherwise healthy test subjects took 40 percent longer than normal to regulate blood sugar levels. Both insulin production and the body's response to insulin fell to thirty percent below normal. Although regular rest restored the test subjects’ scores to normal levels, the test suggests that impaired glucose tolerance as a result of sleep loss could eventually lead to diabetes, obesity and hypertension.
IV. What should be done about sleep deprivation
A. Rest according to a Schedule.
1. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends and vacations. By doing this, your circadian rhythm, or sleep cycle, will not be disturbed.
B. Exercise.
1. Regular exercise improves sleeping habits. Exercise between twenty to thirty minutes a day is best.
C. Don't Lie Awake.
1. If you cannot fall asleep, don't lie in bed awake. Worrying about falling asleep actually keeps many people awake. Get up and do something else until you feel sleepy.
D. Relax.
1. Spending some down time before bed can relax you enough that falling asleep comes easier. Meditation, relaxation techniques and breathing techniques may all work. Relaxation could be as simple as a warm bath, or quiet reading
Thousands of people are affected by sleep deprivation. Day to day life becomes harder and the restless nights become more and more unbearable. Sleep deprivation is a serious problem that affects many teens and adults, it impairs judgment and slows the decision making process; therefore, high schools across the country should start school no earlier than 8:30.
There are many causes to sleep deprivation. Life style, medications and sleeping disorders all cause sleep deprivation. Caffeine is a stimulant, it should not be taken late in the day. Coffee and caffeinated beverages are best avoided from two to six hours before bedtime. Unfortunately, caffeine is often seen as fuel. A large amount of caffeine intake often gives a dangerous cycle from day to day. You need to stay awake, so you drink coffee, but the caffeine prevents you from resting properly, so you're tired, and need caffeine to stay awake, and so on. Like caffeine, nicotine is a stimulant, so smoking before bedtime is not recommended. Avoid cigarettes and other nicotine sources before bedtime. Certain medications can keep you from sleeping, sleeping pills are often used to treat insomnia, but long-term use is not recommended. The body builds up a tolerance for sleeping pills quickly. Within a month of constant use, the medication is doing little to help you any longer. Suddenly stopping this medication can also worsen sleep deprivation, something known as rebound insomnia. Sleeping disorders, such as insomnia and sleep apnea also impair your sleep. Insomnia is difficulty either falling or staying asleep. Unlike most people think, insomnia is not a sleeping disorder, it is a symptom of sleeping disorders or other problems. Insomnia can be caused by stress, medical conditions and medication. Sleep Apnea occurs when people temporarily stop breathing while asleep. This stopping in breathing only lasts a few seconds, but can be repeated many times throughout the night. Oxygen levels in the brain drop, and carbon dioxide builds up. An observer may note that the sleeper snores, chokes or gasps for air. Often people wake suddenly when they stop breathing.
When a person is sleep deprived many things may happen to him/her. Without enough rest, the brain's ability to function quickly becomes worse. The brain works harder to correct sleep deprivation effects, but operates less effectively, concentration levels drop, and memory becomes impaired. Speech becomes slurred and fragmented, and mental reaction time slows. Enough rest and a properly functioning immune system are closely related. Sleep deprivation appears to weaken the immune system by altering the blood levels of specialized immune cells and important proteins called cytokines, resulting in a larger than normal chance of getting sick.
The chance of accidents, and sickness happen more often when a person has less sleep then needed. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 100,000 car accidents a year are caused by driver fatigue. That number that includes over 1,550 dead and 71,000 injured. This number is huge considering that it is hard to determine whether sleepiness was a factor or not. There could be thousands more than thought. Sleep deprivation studies at the University of Chicago have discovered that sleeping shortages quickly change the body's ability to regulate glucose and produce insulin, copying the symptoms of impaired glucose tolerance. After a week of sleep deprivation, otherwise healthy test subjects took 40 percent longer than normal to regulate blood sugar levels. Both insulin production and the body's response to insulin fell to 30 percent below normal. Although regular rest restored the test subjects’ scores to normal levels, the test suggests that impaired glucose tolerance as a result of sleep loss could eventually lead to diabetes, obesity and hypertension.
There are many ways to deal with sleep deprivation. One should rest according to a Schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends and vacations. By doing this, your circadian rhythm, or daily cycle, will not be disturbed. Regular exercise also improves sleeping habits. Exercise between twenty to thirty minutes a day is best to sleep a full night. Keep in mind that you should not exercise two to three hours before bed, this would cause your heart beat to still be pumping more then normal and make sleeping harder. If you cannot fall asleep, don't lie in bed awake. Worrying about falling asleep actually keeps many people awake. Get up and do something else until you feel sleepy enough to fall asleep. Lastly, Relax! Spending some down time before bed can relax you enough that falling asleep comes easier. Meditation, relaxation techniques and breathing techniques may all work. Relaxation could be as simple as a warm bath, or quiet reading.
Sleep deprivation can be a very dangerous problem if not corrected. Poor grades, accidents in cars and at work, lack of motivation and having poor health are all controlled by how much sleep you had. If high schools decided to start school around 8:30 many teenagers would have better attendance, health, and much better grades. You have seen the blurry eyed teens walking the school halls in the morning, just thing what another hour or two would do for them. They could walk the halls with a smile and a bounce in their step.
BIBLOGRAPHY
“Sleep deprivation as bad as alcohol impairment, study suggests.” http://www.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/09/20/sleep.deprivation/ (13 Jan. 04).
“The Causes, Effects and Dangers of Sleep Deprivation.” http://www.sleep-deprivation.com/ (13 Jan. 04).
“Sleep deprivation may be undermining teen health.” http://www.apa.org/monitor/oct01/sleepteen.html (13 Jan. 04).
Morley, Fernanda R.N. C.C.R.N “Sleep Deprivation.” http://www.searoom.com/sleep1.htm (13 Jan. 04).
DiBattista, Laura “Rude Awakenings.” http://www.pulse24.com/News_Features/Pulse_on_Health/20021023- 001/page.asp (13 Jan. 04).
“Info on sleep deprivation.” http://ky.essortment.com/sleepdeprivatio_rloc.htm
(14 Jan. 04).
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