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.
