Sleep Matters: The Human Condition in The Midst of Sleep Deprivation

Sleep is an essential activity needed by individuals on a daily basis. Through sleeping, people can have bodily rest and are able to recuperate body cells lost and damaged during the day. Not only does sleep rejuvenate the body, it has also been proposed to conserve energy, detoxify the brain, and control thermoregulation within the brain (Maquet 2001). Since sleep is vital to the human body, scientists recommend approximately eight hours of sleep at night to promote efficient performance and thinking. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being. However, within this fast-paced society, only a few people can receive enough sleep that the body requires. Moreover, the lack of adequate amount of sleep leads to complications to the human body. Diminished alertness and cognitive performance, impaired reaction time, working memory and logical reasoning are only a few effects on an individual having insufficient sleep.

The lack of sufficient sleep will then in turn, develop into sleep deprivation. This affects majority of people, ranging from teenagers to adults. Periods of sleep deprivation occur when meeting deadlines or performing exercises during the night, notable activities often accomplished by students and workers. At a certain basis, people underestimate sleep and its importance. Therefore, leading people to not be as concerned with a proper night’s sleep, preventing a performance at peak efficiency. However, the response of an individual to insufficient sleep may vary whether it’s partial, short-term or long-term deprivation. Sleep deprivation is also been linked to cause a negative impact on a range of bodily measures like, emotion, behavior, cognition and physiology.

During an ideal sleep, the body’s vital signs fluctuate throughout the night. Heart rate, is a notable paradigm since it follows the circadian rhythm. Aside from that, heart rate is also influenced by sleep. During rapid eye movement sleep (REM) the body reaches the deepest sleep possible, in which most of dreaming also occurs. When a person is at REM, the body’s temperature is found to be at its lowest. However, if sleep deprivation occurs and REM sleep is never attained, the body’s internal temperature is likely to be affected. In addition, during a typical course of a day-night sleeping cycle, the body’s blood pressure and heart rate, as well as other bodily functions such as breathing, slow down while the person is asleep and rise steadily as the person awakens. It is to be expected that sleep deprivation would also affect these vital signs. Ultimately, when an individual routinely has sleep loss it can have a negative impact on one’s health.