SLEEP DEPRIVATION KILLS!

Can sleep deprivation kill? The answer is yes! A research study using rats showed sleep can kill. The rats that were totally deprived of sleep died within two to five weeks whereas the normal lifespan of lab rats are two to three years. The sleep deprived animals develop sores , their body temperature dropped and immune system gradually failed making them susceptible to infection.

There are no reports of human death due to total sleep deprivation in scientific literature. However, records of Nazi death camp experiments during World War II indicated this is possible.

Research showed that our brain's ability to function quickly deteriorates when we are sleep deprived. Without the restorative powers of sleep, the brain works harder to counteract sleep deprivation effects, but operates less effectively. Cognitive function and memory are impaired.

The ability of the frontal cortex of the brain to control speech, access memory and solve problems is affected. This is because lack of sleep lead to impaired formation of nervous tissue and inability of the brain to renew and rewire itself properly. Sleep deprived people feel exhausted and fatigued, which affect their moods, causing depression, stress and anger. They lacked physical energy and concentration as well as have slower reaction time.

One study stated that people who sleep less than four hours per night are three times more likely to die within the next six years. There are various ways sleep deprivation kill you… know what they are so that you can take measures to avoid a premature end.

WAYS SLEEP DEPRIVATION KILLS

1. Speeds up diseases associated with aging

Dr. Eve Van Cauter found that regular lack of sleep can hinder metabolism and hormone production in a way that is similar to the effects of aging and the early stages of diabetes. They become less sensitive to insulin and Their Glucose metabolism fell by up to forty percent. She stated, “We suspect that chronic sleep loss may not only hasten the onset but could also increase the severity of age-related ailments such as diabetes (type 2), hypertension, obesity and memory loss." There is decay or decline of body organs, bone and brain neurons etc. Therefore, they have a higher risk of dying prematurely from stroke, heart attack or kidney failure.

Our body also produces inflammatory substances when there is not enough sleep.

For example, Interleukin- 6 (IL-6), Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-alpha) and C- reactive protein (CRP) are relevant to many disease processes such as cancer, hardening of the arteries, arthritis, insulin resistance and heart disease.

2. Accidents

Very sleep deprived people can go into bouts of ‘microsleep’ when they dozed off for several seconds without realizing it. each year there are thousands of road accidents due to sleepiness while driving. Last year there were several well publicized fatal accidents involving long distance express buses in the country. investigation showed that the drivers have to drive long distance non-stop (including night time driving) on fixed schedules. Survivors said that the drivers looked sleepy and in some cases were driving erratically before the accident occurred.

Do you know that tired workers are thought to be responsible for many major disasters including the giant oil spillage of the Exxon Valdez, the nuclear meltdowns of Three Mile Island and Chernobyl? Sleep deprivation not only endanger the lives of affected individuals but innocent ones as well.

A Harvard Medical School study found that when medical residents reported working five marathon shifts in a single month lasting 24 hours or more each, their risk of making a fatigue-related mistake that harmed a patient increased by 700%. the risk of making an error that resulted in a patient's death shot up by 300%.

"Working for more than 24 hours is hazardous," concluded Dr. Charles Czeisler who was involved in the project.

3. Depression, personality changes and suicide

Frequent extended sleep deprivation can have very detrimental long-term effects on the mind. A long haul trucker revealed, “Many periods of sleep deprivation lead to hallucinations; truckers call it "seeing the black dog". Once started it never goes away.”

In a well documented sleep deprivation study on a man called Peter Tripp that involved rigorous scientific testing revealed the effects of long periods without sleep on a person.

Tripp stayed awake continuously for 8.4 days. Towards the end of the study, he experienced paranoia, hallucinations, and other symptoms that mimic those of psychiatric disorders. He recovered physically and The symptoms disappeared after he was allowed to sleep. However, Tripp’s family soon noticed a difference in his personality. His wife said he was moody and depressed. He fought with his boss and was eventually fired from his job. He went on to accumulate four failed marriages. Some said his prolonged sleepless stint messed him up.

The Peter Tripp study, as well as other studies on sleep suggested the relationship between depression and disruption in the circadian rhythm.

Depression can lead to thoughts of suicide. Several studies showed that depressed people have shorter life expectancies than those without any depression partly due to susceptibility to medical illnesses and suicide. Up to 60 percent of people who committed suicide have depression or another mood disorder. Another heightened risk is from cardiovascular disease. Depressed people have a 1.5 to 2 fold increased susceptibility independent of other known risk factors.

4. Weight control

Lack of sleep increases ghrelin levels, a hormone that stimulates appetite. Together with the reduction of leptin levels [see previous article] resulted in people overeating and weight gain. As you know excess weight increases the risk of atherosclerosis (clogging and hardening of arteries), hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. leptin deficiency [a consequence of not enough sleep] makes you more susceptible to infectious and inflammatory stimuli. Inflammation makes affected tissues more susceptible to damage.

For instance, damage to inner lining of the arteries can make having a heart attack more likely.

In conclusion, your body relies on sleep to function properly. Constant sleep deprivation will not kill you immediately; but when your body could not shut down during sleep to repair the wear and tear inflicted during the waking hours, eventually the damage and toxic waste will build up to a point that can incapacitate . then, you are more likely to succumb to common diseases due to lower immunity and develop chronic illnesses that can become life threatening.