It’s 12am, and I know I should be going to bed, since I need to wake up at 4am for work. This essay I am working on for Econ is important though, and I want it to reflect my best work. If this keeps happening, then I am not going to sleep a whole lot, and I know a lot of people are like “ah yes college a time of no sleep”. So, I wanted to give some gruesome facts on sleep deprivation, because I know I need some motivation to get to bed on time.
1. Sleep deprivation can lead to serious medical problems
Being sleep deprived for too long can lead to heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes.
2. Sleepiness = depression
Lack of sleep can contribute to symptoms of depression, and it can exacerbate symptoms of depression as well.
3. Ages the skin
If you miss a few nights of sleep, you may start to get puffy eyes, but after a while, there will be some nice dark circles under the eyes and increase lines in the skin.
4. Oh shoot! I forgot!
Have a test the next day? Getting the proper amount of sleep will help you improve your memory, but not sleeping will worsen it, and remembering the material for that test is going to be quite a bit more difficult.
5. That’s not how much I weighed last week
There seems to be a trend with lack of sleep and appetite increase, which can cause a weight gain when not receiving all your zzz’s for the night.
6. Now I am totally used to getting 5 hours of sleep!
Incorrect. Studies have shown that people who are sleep deprived continue to have a lack of judgement, and their body will never be used to being sleep deprived.
7. I’m sick again?!
Not getting enough sleep weakens the immune system, which means you can get more frequent illnesses.
8. Where did my creativity go?
Sleep helps stimulate creativity, and lack of sleep makes that creativity leave. Creativity is something that is useful in college.
9. There are over 100,000 car accidents per year in North America due to sleep deprivation
Being sleep deprived make reaction times go down. Driving while under these conditions make it more likely that you will get in a car accident.
10. You become emotional
Your emotions can be all over the place when sleep deprived. Trust me, I just cried in my economics class because I only got 4 hours of sleep and flat out feel awful.
So, what are you doing still up? Go to bed!