8 Consequences of Sleep Deprivation You DON'T Need
Sleep is crazy important. I have written previously on the benefits of sleep. However, sleep deprivation is something I have yet to discuss. The consequences of sleep deprivation are frightening.
1.) Less Able to Tell How Sleep-Deprived You Are
When you are sleep-deprived, you are less able to tell how sleep-deprived you are. This means you might think you are fine, but when in reality, you are not. This can cause all sorts of problems.
2.) Work Issues
The workplace is affected by sleep deprivation as well. Studies have found that employees who are sleep-deprived are less productive, less motivated, less creative, less happy, lazier, and more unethical. If you want to be a better employee, get more sleep. If you want your employees to be better employees, encourage them to get more sleep.
3.) Danger Behind the Wheel
Those with ADHD are already prone to distraction behind the wheel. However, adding sleep deprivation to the mix will cause even more danger while driving. If you are sleep-deprived while driving, you are potentially more dangerous than a drunk driver. When intoxicated, your reaction time slows. When you fall asleep behind the wheel, your reaction time stops altogether. We hear plenty about drunk driving (and rightly so), but we don’t hear nearly enough about drowsy driving.
4.) Increased risk for injury
When you are sleep-deprived, you are more likely to get injured. They did a study and found that young athletes who get an average of six hours of sleep per night have over a 70% chance of injury and those that get an average of nine hours of sleep have under a 20% chance of injury. It’s not a stretch to think that these results would carry over to others who are sleep-deprived. People with ADHD are already more clumsy than the average person. There is no need to add sleep deprivation to the equation.
5.) Health Dangers
Sleep deprivation has an adverse effect on one’s health. Sleep boosts your immune system. This means, when sleep-deprived, it will be harder for you to fight off illness. Moreover, studies have found a causal link between sleep deprivation and heart disease, obesity, dementia, diabetes, and cancer.
6.) Blocking the Ability to Learn
Learning can be a struggle when you have ADHD. A lack of sleep will only make things worse. Sleep deprivation attacks the hippocampus, blocking your brain’s capacity for new learning. You need a good night’s sleep both before and after learning.
7.) Unhealthy Eating Habits
Impulsivity can drive those with ADHD to make poor decisions around food. Sleep deprivation will only exacerbate this problem. Inadequate sleep decreases leptin, which makes you feel full, and increases ghrelin, which makes you feel hungry. Moreover, high-calorie foods are more appealing when you are hungry.
8.) Inattention
When you are sleep-deprived, you will have a hard time focusing. When you have ADHD, focusing will be hard enough, but trying to focus with ADHD and while sleep-deprived is even more difficult.
Want to Learn More?
A great book on this subject is Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker.