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Chase Buchanan

Mr. Freeland

English 1201.

December 12, 2021

Sleep Deprivation

Do you find yourself moping through the day with no motivation to do anything tasking?

Or maybe you wake up just to find you are wanting to get right back to your bed. No matter who

you are, or what you do, or how old you are, sleep will always be one of the most important

things in your life. Almost every day when you are around people, whether it be at school or

work, you almost always talk with someone who tells you how exhausted they may be. People

are constantly underestimating the importance of sleep without fully understanding the details of

how beneficial getting the recommended amount of sleep is. While at the same time not knowing

the consequences of not getting the recommended amount of sleep. Reevaluating your lifestyle

and many other things relating to it, would be beneficial to anyone and their sleep. Sleep is the

fuel that you run off every day to get yourself through whatever challenging activities you may

have planned for that week. If everyone continues to normalize not getting enough sleep, it will

never be a problem people will be looking to solve. It could in fact, bring on more problems

affecting people of all ages greatly. That is why experiencing a lack of sleep on a daily basis has

it's different causes, effects, and disorders for every person that isn’t receiving enough sleep.

Assessing the causes of why you may be sleep deprived is very important. Firstly,

focusing on adolescents who have experiences with daytime sleepiness, it is no surprise that this

is caused by a lack of sleep. In Sleep Disturbances, Roger J.R. Levesque writes on the many

factors of life that can bring someone to become sleep deprived. Whether it be school, work,
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social life, etc. There are many things, big and small, that can affect our sleep in a negative way

(Levesque, 2018). Levesque stating these components offers the reader a sense of what affects

an adolescent and their sleep in a negative way. It is important for these issues to be addressed

earlier rather than later for people to realize, if they are experiencing issues in these subjects, that

they need to consider changing something in their lifestyle to fix them. He then goes on to

explain further that adolescents with jobs during school have trouble getting to bed at a decent

time if they are working long hour weeks (Levesque 2018). This is accompanied by the factor of

early school days. If there are kids who work till 10 or 11 o’clock at night after the school day

have to wake up at 6 to 7 o’clock in the morning, it is almost impossible for them to get the

average amount of sleep needed to function properly. The youth have always been told how

important it is for them to be working and how important it is to save up money for the future.

As a result, many kids oblige to this expectation, they receive unintentional consequences. With

those consequences being, sleep deprivation and overall tiredness.

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Figure 1. This visual shown above supports the paragraph above that deals with the effects that

sleep deprivation can have on adolescents. It does this by using four lines that all represent

different hours of sleep deprivation. The first line represents 8 hours and the final line represents

total sleep deprivation. On the horizontal axis, days of sleep deprivation is displayed, and on the

vertical axis, attention lapses is displayed. As each line increases at a steady rate, the amount of

attention lapses also increases (Graph showing data from a study on sleep deprivation and its

effects on attention. Lapses in attention increased as over multiple days of sleep deprivation).

That is why it fits so well with the paragraph above. As kids in school get less and less sleep

they're more likely to daze off and fall asleep in class, showing why this graph relates to these

statements.

While the paragraph above explains many details of the causes that mainly relate to the

youth, there are also many causes that affect everyone experiencing sleep deprivation. Everyone

may be affected in different ways though. In Sleep Deprivation, Margaret Alic states that

addictive things, drugs, and food can change the transmitters in your brain, causing them to act

differently. With these neurotransmitters being changed, it will, as a result, lead to sleep

deprivation. This statement is supported by several sources that the author lists below allowing

the reader to see it’s credibility. By noticing that simply their diet and the drugs that they

consume on a daily basis can affect their sleep, it may encourage them to change these things. If

people that are experiencing a lack of sleep begin eating a better diet and taking drugs that are

only 100% necessary, the numbers of people that are experiencing sleep deprivation could

potentially decrease significantly. There are so many things in our everyday lives that we do not

realize could have a substantial effect on our health in a negative way. But, where there are

things that we can control, there are also things that we are not able to control, “Other conditions
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that can cause sleep deprivation include menopause, vision loss, attention deficit hyperactivity

disorder (ADHD), head injury, stroke, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease”(Alic, 2020). These are

examples of the situations in which the causes of one's sleep deprivation can not be prevented.

Discovering that someone might be experiencing one of these issues is crucial, because this

person may be oblivious to the fact that it could quite possibly be affecting their sleep. Many of

the problems above can not be helped, but they can be lessened if the diagnosis is known.

Minding the fact of your age, no matter what, it is always important to know what could be

altering your sleep and overall health for the worse. By knowing this information, you can make

yourself a healthier human being overall.

After causes of sleep deprivation, of course come effects of sleep deprivation, and there

are many effects to not receiving enough sleep to function properly. Once again, the effect of

deprivation of sleep on the youth is a very important issue that is addressed separately. It's no

surprise that kids may arrive late, or find themselves falling asleep frequently in class. This is

one of the effects of lack of sleep among adolescents, “With 28% of American high school

students report falling asleep in school at least once per week and 14% report chronic tardiness to

school as a result of oversleeping” (Levesque 2018). With young students falling asleep during

their classes, it is no surprise that it is a result of them having sleeping issues. Which supports the

argument that school hours need to be changed to give kids more time to attain a proper amount

of sleep. Also, a study was done that compared students receiving five nights of sleep that were

below the average hours to the students receiving an above average amount of sleep for five

nights( Levesque 2018). Levesque goes on to reinforce the claim by saying how the students who

received less sleep performed poorer than the students who received more sleep. If a student is

receiving more sleep, it would only make sense that they are outperforming other students who
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don't get enough sleep. That is why it is unfair for some schools to start too early, when there are

some students who are not able to get enough sleep due to starting times. This study is strong,

supporting evidence to the claim relating to sleep. The effects of sleep deprivation can also begin

to get dangerous among children, “Cross-sectional studies of children and adolescents have also

found associations between insufficient sleep and cardiometabolic risk factors, with the strongest

evidence for the impact of sleep on glucose, insulin, and blood pressure”(Levesque, 2018). Once

the effects start to harm children, something must be done to help stop the situation at hand. The

saying that children are our future may be used a lot, but it is very true. If children experience a

lack of sleep now, this issue could continue to get worse as they get older.

Heading away from adolescents and going to the general population, the effects are also

just as harmful as the one listed before, “In addition, sleep deprivation may have the following

effect: increase the risk of falls and accidents, increase the risk for many health problems,

including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and infections, increase

appetite and inhibit weight loss, even with proper exercise and diet, increase the effects of

alcohol” (Alic, 2020). Situations like this exemplify times in which your life could be at risk as

well. The effects of sleep are not to be taken lightly. The effects may start small, but they can

continue to get worse and worse overtime, potentially harming you permanently. Many people

do not realize that not getting enough sleep can take a massive toll on your body if nothing is

done to prevent it. Memory loss could also be a result of sleep deprivation (Alic 2020). If you

begin to lose your memory, you also lose a part of what defines you as a person. Which

exemplifies yet another reason why getting enough sleep is important. Heart problems can also

be an effect of not getting enough sleep, “In adults, shortened sleep duration is associated with

the development of cardiometabolic risk factors, such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia”

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(Levesque, 2018). The effects on the heart are dangerous and can affect you in the future when

there is greater stress on your heart than when you are a child. When your heart is damaged, the

rest of your body will follow suit because of the many jobs the heart does for your body. Another

major effect is explained as a sleep debt. When someone begins to lose more and more sleep

every night, this is when their sleep debt begins (Alic, 2020). Many people find themselves

having the same sleep schedule that includes getting an insufficient amount of sleep. That is why

this issue of sleep debt becomes such an issue. People don’t make up the sleep they are losing till

the point where their sleep debt is so high it can not be fixed. One's lifestyle is what causes this.

If they’re days are repetitive in routine, the sleep they get is most likely the same. If their sleep

routine results in sleep deprivation, then their sleep debt will no doubt continue to grow. These

are the major effects that sleep deprivation has on a person’s physical body, and also their mind.

Viewing the ways in which sleep deprivation can harm a person's mind and body is

important. But it is also important to review the positive effects that getting enough sleep can

have on a person. In Sleep Learning and Memory it is explained how improving your sleep will

strengthen your memories. “Consolidation” is the word used to describe how this happens. When

you sleep is when this consolidation occurs, and your connections between your neurons and

your memory grow stronger (Sleep Learning and Memory, 2007). Another benefit is the ability

to learn more efficiently from getting a sufficient amount of sleep. During REM sleep, the

deepest stage of sleep when people have dreams, it was found by scientists that REM holds a

prominent place in this technique of learning better (Sleep, Learning, and Memory, 2007). It has

also been discovered that sleep plays a strong part in a certain type of memory process. This

memory process is known as procedural memory. This type of memory is not just what

something is, but how to do something. Once again REM sleep helps at developing the
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procedural memory of a person (Sleep, Learning, and Memory, 2007). It is shown that sleep is

extremely beneficial to the learning and memory process of a human. With many of these

processes being strengthened through the most important stage of sleep, REM.

Sleep deprivation can either be brought on by sleep disorders, or it can bring on sleep

disorders. In Sleep Disorders, Jason Ellis states that, “Whereas parasomnias were traditionally

assumed to be a product of an underlying psychological or psychiatric disorder, or physical

manifestation of a dream state, more recently they have been attributed to an intrusion of one

sleep stage on another or disruption in the transition between sleep stages or between sleep and

wakefulness.” So parasomnia affects sleep state, REM, sleep of a person, which is their deepest

point of sleep. A person suffering from a parasomnia, would most definitely suffer from lack of

sleep considering they are constantly having problems during their REM sleep. If stress and

anxiety are high in a person's daily life, it is possible they may be affected by some type of

parasomnia disorder. This stress and anxiety combined with the constant waking up during the

night, could be a cause of a person with a parasomnia, to develop sleep deprivation. There are

also many disorders that fall under the dyssomnia category as well, one of them being the very

common insomnia, explains Ellis. The author also informs us that it is behind chronic pain for

being one of the most reported health problems. Chronic pain is a very common health issue, so

with insomnia being second to it, displays it’s seriousness with the common population (Ellis,

2007). Ellis supports these statements with several sources, showing their credibility. By

comparing insomnia to the most reported complaint, chronic pain, it shows just how common

this disorder is. Where parasomnia disorders affect people's sleep loss, insomnia causes people to

become sleep deprived. If one is not able to attain a sufficient amount of sleep every night, if it is

simply because they are just not able to with little explanation, it is very likely they may be
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suffering from insomnia. Ellis goes on to list several effects of insomnia that include everyday

life issues. Such as not showing up to work, possible accidents when on the road, and drug

dependency. All reasons more reasons to get more sleep. With the hope that you can prevent the

development of insomnia, and the consequences of it (Ellis, 2007). Each of these are very similar

effects of sleep deprivation, all of them being able to affect your life in an unhealthy and

dangerous way. Although insomnia seems to come onto a person in unknown ways, Ellis does

demonstrate a treatment. The treatment is described by Ellis being, “Sleep restriction therapy

(reducing actual time in bed to what is biologically required) and stimulus control (re-associating

the bedroom with a rapid sleep onset) have been forged into multicomponent cognitive

behavioral interventions which also address dysfunctional beliefs about sleep and maladaptive

coping strategies” (Ellis, 2007). So, by messing with your cognitive ability, you are able to help

treat a case of insomnia.

Two more sleeping disorders that are somewhat similar are restless leg syndrome and

periodic limb movement disorder. Levesque explains to us that, “Restless legs syndrome (RLS)

is a clinical diagnosis based on a cluster of self-reported symptoms. Affecting approximately 2%

of adolescents, RLS is commonly underdiagnosed in pediatric populations due to difficulty with

accurate assessment.” So, this disorder is rarely diagnosed among adolescents, but the author

explains that this could be due to one being misdiagnosed. The reason being is, restless leg

syndrome is based off of symptoms that were reported from the one experiencing, what they

might believe, is this disorder. Kids may not realize what is happening when they are

experiencing restless leg syndrome, which could explain why the diagnosis is so low for

adolescents. Levesque gives us more information on this topic by telling us the symptoms can

actually be more severe for adolescents. This, in return, makes it harder for adolescents to sleep
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comfortably. Which can then cause them to begin suffering from sleep deprivation. Ellis also

tells us that this can further lead to people who have this order, to develop depression.

Periodic limb movement disorder is very similar to the disorder described above.

Levesque describes it as a disorder in which the limbs of a person are continuously moving

throughout them sleeping causing them to wake up during the night. Which also could be a cause

to someone becoming sleep deprived which shows the similarities it has to restless leg syndrome.

It is also said that these two disorders happen to transpire with each other. Meaning, someone

that is experiencing restless leg syndrome, can very easily begin to develop periodic limb

movement disorder. In Periodic Limb Movement Disorder written by Ken R. Wells explains that

if one is beginning to show moderate symptoms, it is said that prevention is very important.

Some may exercise, take a hot bath, heating pads, ice packs, and more. Although, all these

preventative methods will all work differently for different people experiencing this sleeping

disorder. These are just a few of the many sleeping disorders that either be a cause, or an effect

of a person being sleep deprived.

Where most people believe that a lot of sleep positively benefits you, there are also

people who think that too much sleep could be negatively benefiting you. In Sleep-Can you get

Too Much of a Good Thing, Robert Shmreling states that too much sleep can quite possibly lead

to several health conditions. Many of them are actually similar to the ones that can occur if you

are not getting enough sleep such as depression, heart problems, and low self esteem. The

statement provided does include valid reasons for why someone might believe that too much

sleep is in fact not good for you. Many of the conditions listed above are quite dangerous and

difficult to live with if you were to develop them. It is easy to agree with a statement due to these

factors, such as obesity, depression, etc. No person would want these to be in their life under any
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circumstances. But not getting enough sleep provides much more evidence as to why more sleep

is better than less sleep in any situation. So, where many people believe that too much sleep is

not good for you, what is stated previously in the paper makes more sense due to the endless

effects of sleep deprivation. Meaning, getting too much sleep is better than not getting enough

sleep.

It is evident that sleep deprivation will be a never ending problem across the world. But,

by addressing the problems and getting a deeper understanding of what they are, it is possible to

find a solution to these problems. The causes, effects, and sleep disorders of sleep deprivation are

what allow us to see the problems of not getting enough sleep. Reviewing these topics of sleep

deprivation exemplify the issues that come with it. By doing this it will hopefully in return,

suggest to people suffering from sleep deprivation, that their sleep is important. Also, that no

matter who you are, or what your life entails, that you will always need sleep to lead a healthy

and successful life.

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Works Cited

Alic, Margaret. "Sleep Deprivation." Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, edited by Jacqueline L.

Longe, Gale, 6th edition, 2020. Credo Reference,

http://sinclair.ohionet.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/gale

gm/sleep_deprivation/0?institutionId=6043. Accessed 28 Oct. 2021.

Ellis, Jason. "Sleep disorders." Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine,

edited by Susan Ayers, et al., Cambridge University Press, 2nd edition, 2007. Credo

Reference,

http://sinclair.ohionet.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/cupp

hm/sleep_disorders/0?institutionId=6043. Accessed 01 Nov. 2021.

Limited, A. (n.d.). Graph showing data from a study on sleep deprivation and its effects on

attention. lapses in attention increased as over multiple days of sleep deprivation stock

photo. Alamy,

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-graph-showing-data-from-a-study-on-sleep-deprivati

on-and-its-effects-103991468.html, Accessed 01 Nov, 2021.

Meltzer, Lisa J., et al. "Sleep Disturbances." Encyclopedia of Adolescence, Roger J. R. Levesque,

Springer Science+Business Media, 2nd edition, 2018. Credo Reference,

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http://sinclair.ohionet.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/sprgs

tv/sleep_disturbances/0?institutionId=6043. Accessed 01 Nov. 2021.

Shmerling, Robert. "Sleep - Can You Get Too Much of a Good Thing?" Harvard Medical School

Commentaries on Health, edited by Harvard Health Publications, 1st edition, 2019.

Credo Reference,

http://sinclair.ohionet.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/hhph

oh/sleep_can_you_get_too_much_of_a_good_thing/0?institutionId=6043. Accessed 01

Nov. 2021.

Sleep, learning, and memory. Sleep, Learning, and Memory | Healthy Sleep. (n.d.),

https://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory,

Accessed 01, Nov. 2021.

Wells, Ken R. "Periodic Limb Movement Disorder." The Gale Encyclopedia of Senior Health,

edited by Gale, 2nd edition, 2015. Credo Reference,

http://sinclair.ohionet.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/gale

gsh/periodic_limb_movement_disorder/0?institutionId=6043. Accessed 01 Nov. 2021.