According to the American Institute of Medicine, insomnia and sleep deprivation affect nearly eighty to ninety percent of adults in the United States, though most cases are undiagnosed [1]. Of those afflicted with insomnia or sleep deprivation (less than the seven hours recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society), a large percentage have reported suffering physical injury within days of experiencing a lack of sleep.

Associated risks of sleep deprivation

Sleep deprivation results in various disorders which often lead to physical injury of the sleep-deprived and the people around them. Some of those risks include:

MIRCO SLEEP: Lack of sleep may result in narcolepsy more commonly known as micro sleep [1]. A person afflicted with this disorder will tend to fall asleep during the day for short periods lasting between a few seconds to a few minutes, and this person will do so without being aware of it. Micro-sleep usually occurs during periods of physical activity, so a person with narcolepsy may fall asleep when walking, running or even driving. Falling asleep while undertaking these activities elevates the chance of a sleep-deprived individual sustaining an injury to oneself.

RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME: Another disorder caused by unhealthy sleeping patterns is the restless legs syndrome (RLS) [2]. Like narcolepsy, this syndrome occurs as the deprived person undertakes physical activity. The individual will feel aches along the lower parts of the leg which will then spread to the calves. The pain such a person experiences makes them more prone to accidental falls.

COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION: Sleep deprivation can also lead to cognitive dysfunction. In this case, the nerves of the brain and the central nervous system are unable to function without sleep due to an overload of ‘metabolic waste.’ Should this happen while the insomniac is in motion, he is likely to injure himself by running into another person, or by running into an object.

ANXIETY: In addition to causing disorders like RLS and narcolepsy, lack of sleep, especially over prolonged periods, leads to a surge in a sleep-deprived individual’s level of anxiety [3]. In their agitation, such people could injure themselves by falling over objects or hurting others. This anxiety could breed suicidal thoughts, feelings of irritation and aggression or irrationality in an individual.

ALCOHOL ABUSE: Sleep deprived people are more likely to ingest vast amounts of alcohol to act as stimuli for their bodies [3]. Alcohol abuse by such individuals increases their risk of physical injury by vehicular accidents, accidental falls, and violence, whether self-inflicted or as a result of their aggression toward others. The risk of others being harmed by the sleep-deprived party also rises concurrently with the party’s alcoholic intake [4,5].

CARDIOVASCULAR RISK: Finally, sleep deprivation leads to a build-up of the morbidity risk of the insomniac, particularly by cardiovascular causes [6,7]. For every day one sleeps for five hours or less, the risk of suffering from a stroke or heart failure increases by forty-five percent. The potential for real harm increases in such instances where the sleepless person may fall and even die in the course of having a heart attack or stroke.

Conclusion:

Losing sleep for extended periods of time results in conditions that are financially draining, physically endangering and in some cases fatal. Preventing the development of these disorders is the more logical and healthy way to live, and all you have to do is enjoy a good night’s sleep. Shouldn’t be a hard choice to make!

Reference Links:

1. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Sleep Medicine and Research; Colten HR, Altevogt BM, editors. Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: An Unmet Public Health Problem. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2006.
2. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health
3. Baldwin and Daugherty, 2004; Strine and Chapman, 2005; Hasler et al., 2005
4. Wheaton AG, RA Shults, DP Chapman, ES Ford, JB Croft. Drowsy Driving and Risk Behaviors, 10 States and Puerto Rico, BRFSS 2011-2012. MMWR.  2014; 63(26); 557-562.
5.     Kanny D Gonzales K, Roeber J, Tran A, Saiki C, Johnson H, et al. Alcohol-attributable deaths and years of potential life lost-11 States, 2006-2010. MMWR. 2014; 63(10):213-6.)
6. (Eaker et al., 1992; Qureshi et al., 1997; Schwartz et al., 1998; Newman et al., 2000; Ayas et al., 2003; et al., 2005; Bradley et al., 2005; Caples et al., 2005) and one case-control study (Liu et al., 2002)
7.     Liu Y, Wheaton AG, Chapman DP, Croft JB. Sleep duration and Chron diseases among U.S. adults aged ≥45 years: evidence from the 2010 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System. Sleep. 2013. 1; 36(10):1421-7.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19961/#a2000f7efrrr00234

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24082301

https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/key_disorders.html

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This is a guest post on the side effects of sleep deprivation by our friend Helen at HealthAmbition.com

We all know we need to sleep. It is pretty much a given. But sometimes, it’s just not that easy.

Either we stay up late intentionally, maybe for that one off night on the town, to pull an all-nighter on an important project or because the new series of Orange is the New Black just came onto Netflix and you just can’t put down the remote.

For some people, the reason they miss out on sleep is more serious. Sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome are all problems which stop people clocking in enough sleep hours at night.

Whatever the reason, long-term lack of sleep can turn into chronic sleep deprivation which has been linked to increased risk of a number of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and even depression.

Moreover, losing sleep can lead to a number of unpleasant things happening to your body. While I was doing research for my piece on why sleep is so important, I found some shocking information. Read on to find out 5 side effects of sleep deprivation that you didn’t know about.

#1 – Your Brain Starts To Think You’re Drunk

When you don’t get enough sleep over a 24 hour period, your cognitive function is impaired so much it is equivalent to being too drunk to legally drive.

Maybe you’ve experienced it before, the confusion or inability to focus. According to an article from Harvard published in National Geographic “going without sleep for 24 hours or getting only five hours of sleep a night for a week is the equivalent of a blood alcohol level of 0.1 percent.” [1]

That actually equates to 4 or more alcoholic beverages, depending on your weight [2]. So after a week of cramming for finals, your mental state come your exam will actually be at the same level as after 4 vodkas – definitely not ideal!

#2 – It Becomes Increasingly Difficult To Fight Off Infection

When you get an insufficient amount of sleep, your white blood cells are left exhausted and find it more difficult to fight off minor infections. Studies have shown that those who get less than six hours sleep a night are four times more likely to catch a cold than those who get the recommended eight hours of sleep nightly [3].

“During sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines, some of which help promote sleep. Certain cytokines need to increase when you have an infection or inflammation, or when you’re under stress. Sleep deprivation may decrease the production of these protective cytokines. In addition, infection-fighting antibodies and cells are reduced during periods when you don’t get enough sleep”

Of course, although catching a cold may not be the worst thing in the world, continued lack of sleep makes it impossible to fight off that infection, thus leading to more serious conditions like pneumonia.

#3 – Your Memory Gets Worse

We’ve already established how sleep deprivation can affect your cognition, therefore, it probably comes as no surprise that your memory may also be affected.

In a 2014 study conducted by Harvard’s Nurses Health Study showed that people who slept five hours or less were actually functioning at a memory level two years beyond their actual age. This, of course, is not necessarily something you want when you get older, considering memory functions decrease in quality every year [4].

#4 – For Men, Your Sperm Count Drops

According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, men who experience sleep disturbances have 29% less sperm in their semen than men who slept for a full eight hours each night [5].

#5 – Your Risk Of Death and Chronic Diseases Increases

Believe it or not, sleep deprivation alone can actually increase your mortality risk. A study published in the Journal of Sleep, evaluated 1,741 men and women only to find that those who slept less than six hours each night had a significantly higher risk of death [6].

Not only this, but your risk of several chronic diseases significantly increases if you do not get enough sleep each night including:

Certain types of cancer
Obesity
Stroke
Diabetes
Heart disease

Conclusion

It is clear to see from all the scientific research that if you don’t snooze, you lose. Sleep plays a huge role in our overall health and well-being and some research has even shown that just one night of poor sleep can result in changes of more than 700 genes and loss of brain tissue.
These findings are certainly enough to give you nightmares, yet it is clear to see how important getting the right amount of shut-eye is each night.

Sources

1. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/05/sleep/max-text
2. http://dui.drivinglaws.org/drink-table.php
3. http://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2015/august/sleep-and-sickness.html
4. http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/little-sleep-much-affect-memory-201405027136
5. https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/177/10/1027/101677/Association-of-Sleep-Disturbances-With-Reduced
6. http://www.journalsleep.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=27894

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? Well, join the club, as you’re not alone. According to the Institute of Medicine, about 50 to 70 million Americans are suffering from chronic sleep disorders [

Wayne Giles, M.D. and Director of CDC’s Division of Population Health remarks, “As a nation, we are not getting enough sleep. Lifestyle changes such as going to bed at the same time each night; rising at the same time each morning; and turning off or removing televisions, computers, mobile devices from the bedroom, can help people get the healthy sleep they need.”

Sleep deprivation is also responsible for a decline in performance [3,4]. Without enough sleep, you can’t function at full capacity. Your work will be adversely affected; your health put at risk and your lifespan severely curtailed.  Sleep debt has been linked to impairments in learning and memory [5], the body’s immune system [6,7] and impaired metabolism [8]. Poor sleeping habits have also been linked to sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy and restless legs syndrome [9].  Adequate daily amounts of sleep are instrumental, as the deeper stages of sleep heal the body and allow your brain to clean out the accumulated metabolic waste.

An entire industry has emerged around promoting sleep, and improving the sleep environment. While in some cases there might be a need for a sleep aids, the prolonged counter effects on the body can be detrimental.Going to a nonmedication sleep aid may be your best bet at regaining your health and countering sleep debt.  

Expensive mattresses and space conditioning technologies can have their place, but can cost you thousands of dollars. The first steps to dealing with sleep deprivation, should be educating yourself on the factors involved in your sleep, improving your sleep hygiene, and exploring how to reduce anxiety and stress, that may prevent you from getting your recommended 7+ hours downtime.

Instead of relying on over the counter medication and sleeping pills to get more sleep, a focus on healthy diet, exercise and stress management techniques can do wonders to get you on the right track. A PEMF sleep device may also bring back the most coveted prize of all: natural sleep.  Which is why SomniResonance created for you, the SR1 sleep device.

1. Colten HR, Altevogt BM. , Sleep disorders and sleep deprivation: an unmet public health problem Washington, DCNational Academies Press, 2006
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Effect of short sleep duration on daily activities – United States 2005-2008. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 2011, vol. 60 (pg. 239-52)
3. Banks, S. & Dinges, D. F.Behavioral and physiological consequences of sleep restriction. J Clin Sleep Med3, 519–528 (2007).
4. Cohen, D. A. et al.Uncovering residual effects of chronic sleep loss on human performance.Sci Transl Med 2, 14ra13, 10.1126/scitranslmed.3000458 (2010).
5. Rasch, B. & Born, J. About sleep’s role in memory. Physiol Rev93, 681–766, 10.1152/physrev.00032.2012 (2013).
6. Besedovsky, L., Lange, T. &Born, J. Sleep and immune function. Pflugers Arch463, 121–137, 10.1007/s00424-011-1044-0 (2012).
7. Imeri, L. & Opp, M. R. How (and why) the immune system makes us sleep. Nat Rev Neurosci10, 199–210, 10.1038/nrn2576 (2009).
8. Killick, R., Banks, S. & Liu, P. Y.Implications of sleep restriction and recovery on metabolic outcomes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab97, 3876–3890, 10.1210/jc.2012–1845 (2012).
9. https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/doi/10.5665/sleep.1846/2709360/Sleep-A-Health-Imperative#49077477

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What does a sleep disorder look like?

Despite the importance of quality sleep, sleep disorders are more common than ever among adults of all ages. These sleep disorders can take several different forms, and have a wide variety of causes – but all of them result in disruptive or low quality sleep.

One of the most common sleep disorders is excessive daytime sleepiness – nearly 20% of adults suffer from this sleep disorder.¹ You may be one of them if you struggle to stay awake during the day, and often feel a low level of energy, motivation, and awareness (regardless of how much you have slept). This is caused by a wide range of behaviors, including lack of physical exercise, consumption of certain medications or drugs, and depression or other underlying conditions.

Another common sleep issue is known as sleep disruptive behaviors. This may consist of sleep walking, sleep talking, sleep paralysis, or night terrors. These unusual behaviors keep you from remaining asleep throughout the night, and are disruptive to the usual sleep cycle.

Insomnia, one of the most well-known sleep disorders, takes place when you can’t fall asleep at all. You may suffer from insomnia if you routinely toss and turn for hours before falling asleep, if you sleep at all that night. Insomnia can be caused by a wide range of medical conditions, from allergies to asthma to chronic pain. Insomnia is also a frequent symptom of depression or anxiety.

Finally, a disruption of the circadian rhythm is another common sleep disorder. If you have a hard time sticking to a sleep schedule, or struggle to wake up in the morning or go to sleep at night, you may have a disrupted circadian rhythm. This means that your body is confused about when to sleep and when to stay awake – you may find yourself frequently napping throughout the day, or wide awake in the middle of the night. Caused by rapid time zone changes or other frequent changes to the environment, this disorder makes it extremely difficult to maintain a regular schedule.

With all these different sleep disorders, it’s no wonder that many people have a hard time with sleep. But it’s not that big of a deal, right?

Nope. Sleep is easily one of the most important factors in maintaining your health, keeping a positive, mood, and remaining productive throughout the day.

Why is sleep important?

Sleep is one of the most important factors in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and is also one of the most overlooked. In the middle of our fast-paced, busy lives, we don’t always give sleep the attention it deserves – sleep and other self-care habits are usually overlooked in favor of your job or your family. While all these things are important, the truth is, sleep is just as important to your body as breathing or eating.

There’s a reason that sleep disorders are strongly linked to depression. To remain positive and productive, it is essential to get quality sleep. A good night’s sleep can completely change your mood around; you’ll feel more optimistic, productive, and happy as you go through your day. A lack of sleep or disrupted sleep will cause you to feel irritable, short-tempered, and drained. Out of the two, which do you prefer?

Whether you’re trying to focus at your job, pay attention in school, or get the most out of your workout, sleep is a determining factor in every aspect of your day. Sleep affects more than just your mood – a good night’s sleep can improve your memory and focus, which is kind of a good thing when you’re trying to get some work done. Sleep can also affect your stress or anxiety levels; the more sleep you get, the less anxious you are likely to be. Sleep gives your body some much-needed calm in your day, and when it gets disrupted, you’re likely to feel anxious or upset.

So, if you’ve been struggling to prioritize sleep in your life, think of it as a way to “recharge” your body for the next day – when you focus on maintaining healthy sleep habits, you’ll be happier and more productive throughout the day.

Ready to change your sleep habits?

Now, instead of pushing the “snooze” button like usual, imagine waking up from a long night’s sleep, feeling healthy, rested, and ready to start your day. At :DSleep, our mission is to use advanced technology and therapeutics to help you get the best sleep possible. We provide a safe, effective, and affordable alternative to traditional sleep treatments with our product, the SR1 sleep device. This device emits a weak pulsing electromagnetic signal to mimic normal brain patterns, encouraging natural, quality sleep.

When you have trouble falling asleep or achieving quality sleep, the frequencies of the brain are not in rhythm to support sleep. To help the brain recall these rhythms, the SR1 sleep device mimics the sleep frequencies naturally produced in the brain.

In short, promoting healthier sleep patterns is one of the best things you can do for your body. Sleep is important for your health, mood, and every aspect of your life, but is commonly interrupted. Despite the busy lives we lead, it is important to make quality sleep a priority; using the SR1 sleep device, you can improve your sleep habits and encourage a good night’s sleep. Once you begin prioritizing your sleep and improving your sleep habits,  you’ll see the benefits and enjoy a healthier more vibrant approach to life.

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