4 of 31

Write now Article Tools

Sleep is an essential requirement of the human body and the human brain, a critical function necessary in varying degrees by all of us for the healing and restoration of both mind and body.

Sleep deprivation can be caused by sleep disorders defined as medical conditions that bring about a disturbance in sleep patterns; by deliberately delaying or waking from sleep such as frequently rousing to feed an infant, working night shift, or staying up half the night to play video games; and by other issues such as pain, hormonal changes or emotional stress.

Sleep has been outlined in specific stages and cycles with each stage associated with distinct physiological, neurological and psychological features. Since different regions of the brain and body rest, restore and facilitate change during different stages of the sleep cycles, sleep deprivation, whether occurring from sleep disorders, voluntary reasons or due to involuntary causes, disturb the total body physiologically, neurologically and psychologically with the extent and location of the disturbance related to the type and duration of sleep loss.

Boil this down and it means humans need sleep, the right amount of sleep, and the right kind of sleep. Anything less and the result is mental and physical dysfunction. Science has established that sleep deprivation is linked to a whole host of conditions including fatigue, weakened immune system, metabolic disorders, problematic wound healing, obesity, diabetes, depression and hypertension.

Prolonged sleep deprivation can bring on symptoms mimicking those of psychosis including moodiness, irritability, uncooperative attitude, memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, ataxia, hallucinations, slowed or slurred speech, fragmented thinking, expressionless appearance, short attention span, diminished mental ability, distorted visual perceptions, paranoia, and the inability to distinguish between reality and nightmare.

G Stores, in an article for J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2007 Dec;78(12):1293-7, titled Clinical diagnosis and misdiagnosis of sleep disorders, points out that sleep disorders are either a frequent condition or a main clinical complaint of patients seen in primary care or specialist services. Stores feels that the subject of sleep disorders and sleep deprivation are not adequately covered in medical education with the results that the manifestations of sleep disorders become misinterpreted as other clinical conditions of a physical or psychological nature.

As scientists delve deeper into the mystery of sleep, the findings indicate that adequate, uninterrupted sleep is tightly bound to human emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. As the correlations of this bond between sleep, the mind and the body become untangled and understood, it may well come to light that a great deal of human ails, both physical and mental, are due to poor sleep or lack of sleep. Sleeping in later in the morning, going to bed earlier or relaxing and taking a afternoon siesta may help us all live longer and live better.

Learn more about this author, Janet Fields.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about The connection between sleep deprivation and mental illness?
We want to hear your view. Write now!