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Sleep deprivation is a huge problem all over the world. Many people work long hours, and something must be sacrificed. Unfortunately, sleep is a very common thing to sacrifice. It’s easier to stay up until the work is done than face the music if it isn’t. However, this system may backfire, because the more sleep deprived one becomes, the worse off they are while working. Response rate is slowed, and concentration is affected.
Sleep deprivation happens when people continually sleep less than they need to. Most people need to sleep at least six to nine hours per night, but busy people may sleep only three to six. This is much less than the body requires, so it doesn’t have enough time to recuperate for the next day’s demands. Also, the day before, the body already had enormous demands on it, so it’s that much worse off.
Sleep deprived people will go from feeling tired to feeling a heavy sense of exhaustion, as if it’s a chore just to get out of bed in the morning (and for some, it is). They will have trouble waking up. Those who take showers in the morning may ‘sleep walk’ through it. Even caffeine may not have a significant effect, and may actually contribute to sleepiness (when we come down off of caffeine, we’re more tired than we were to begin with).
The individual’s reactions are slowed, and concentration is broken. Everything becomes harder for the individual to do. S/he might have been able to fully concentrate on a project and finish a report with an hour and a half when fully rested, but need nearly three hours (much of it spent as refocusing time; a lot also spent on trying to comprehend the information) to complete it while sleep deprived. The individual can’t think as clearly and may have trouble understanding things.
When the body is not properly rested, it can’t function in top shape. Every motion requires extra effort, which tires the body out even more. This adds to fatigue. Some physical tasks may seem absolutely impossible to someone who is extremely fatigued. The body’s defenses are lowered because it has to focus on staying awake and keeping up with the person who refuses to give in and sleep. This leads the individual to be more susceptible to illness, and to get sicker and for a longer period of time when an illness is contracted. The body cannot fight the bacteria or virus until it can stop focusing so much energy on everyday life processes.
Once sleep deprivation has set in, the lost sleep can never be made up. Research has also shown that by being chronically sleep deprived, one is shortening their life. Suggestions are to take naps in the afternoon (short ones, around fifteen or twenty minutes. Even just taking time to relax is good) if possible, or consider an earlier bedtime. If nothing is possible, try to juggle tasks so they are spread more evenly over the week, so more sleep can be gotten during the week and about the same on the weekend. Regular bedtimes and wake times will help condition the body to a certain amount of sleep and will reduce fatigue. Try to get at least six hours of sleep per night.
So many people make outrageous demands on their bodies. They are up for eighteen hours at a stretch, using all the physical and/or mental power they can during their waking hours. Sleeping for only six hours cannot possibly make the body completely recover from such a demanding day and prepare for the next one. Since the effects of sleep deprivation can be quite harmful, one should make an effort to take care of him or herself.
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