Has there ever been a time where you spent a night tossing and turning around on your bed? If so, then you might be experiencing sleep deprivation. Knowing that next day you’ll most likely know that you’re going to wake up tired, feeling on edge, and most likely struggle to stay concentrated at work or school.
What is Sleep Deprivation?
What is sleep deprivation? Sleep deprivation is when one does not receive as much sleep as they need. For example, the average adult needs at least 7-8 hours to sleep according to The National Institute of Health. Sleep deprivation can be caused by staying up too late or having an irregular sleep schedule, if you keep continuing these two patterns it can worsen up your body and mental health.
The Consequences of Sleep Deprivation
The consequences of sleep deprivation can cause many problems for your body, such as affecting your body energy levels, leaving you on a low battery and unable to work or function properly.
Katheryn Keller, a sophomore from Brunswick High School who experienced the consequences of sleep deprivation, shared, “Ever since I lacked sleep, I kept getting migraines.”
She also mentioned that the lack of sleep made her constantly tired, from waking up at crack dawn to get ready for school. Not only did not getting enough sleep made Katheryn feel drained throughout the day at school. But also made it difficult for her to stay focused in her classes. She found it harder to keep up with several of her assignments.
How It Affects Your Mental Health
Sleep deprivation not only affects the body but it also affects your own mind. Sleep deprivation has various consequences on your mental health like Kathryn Keller, a sophomore from Brunswick High School experienced massive exhaustion which led her to skipping school for a variety of reasons. The troublesome problems that sleep deprivation has on the human brain is it can determine our emotional mood, if someone is going through sleep deprivation and has an increase of unpleasant moods can determine anxiety levels rising, which is bad for the human mind.