Why you should avoid sleep deprivation

By Adelaide Kwaning

There are two very important things that you need in order to function even at minimum level. One is proper nutrition the other is sleep. Most everyone can agree that eating well contributes to a healthier life.

But when it comes to sleep we are less likely to stop and realize the effects it has on us. In fact some of us brag about not getting enough sleep. Staying up to the wee small hours of the morning to get something done has not only become acceptable but a badge of honor.

Cynthia LaJambe, a chronobiologist at the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, has conducted sleep research at Penn State and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, and has seen the effects of sleep deprivation -- including fatigue, sadness, stress, anger and diminished performance -- first-hand. Such fragmented sleep patterns inevitably take a toll on alertness,

LaJambe said, "Some people think they are adapting to being awake more, but are actually performing at a lower level. They don't realize it because the functional decline happens so gradually."

We all know people who deny themselves enough sleep, the student who spends hours studying for tests, the trucker who has to get into the next city to make his next shipment regardless of how tired he is, the ad executive who works around the clock to get the next ad campaign done by the dead line.

These people rely on caffeine or other artificial substances to suppress their sleep instincts. However, nothing can suppress the effects of ignoring your sleep instincts and starving yourself from sleep.

Sleep starvation results in nervousness, irritability, churning guts and other psychosomatic effects which can lead you to “crack up” or have a nervous break down. Psychological research has proven that you can drive any animal insane very quickly by simply denying them sleep.

You may deny yourself sleep when your anxiety about life situations reaches a high level. We all know what happens, ultimately we “lose it” and have a nervous breakdown. But it shouldn’t be this way. This type of insomnia is not acceptable in life.

There have been countless studies proving the effects of sleep deprivation. For those who have no choice but to stay awake, LaJambe suggests "a short nap and a moderate amount of caffeine, like a cup of coffee, is still the best approach." But those naps should be kept under 20 minutes, LaJambe advised. "Otherwise, sleep inertia sets in, and you'll be groggy when you wake up." You don’t want to face the other side of insomnia.

The bottom line is that sleep is essential to a healthy lifestyle. You can make all the excuses you want but denying yourself sleep has never been a smart solution.

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