Sleep Deprivation and Mental Health

Hello everyone

Todays post is about sleep deprivation and mental health. Sleep deprivation can have many bad side effects, some of them are:

Memory issues - Trouble with thinking and concentration

High blood pressure - Risk of heart disease

Higer risk of accidents because of reduced alertness and poor balance

Rrisk of diabetes and much more.

Below I like to go more into detail about some specific points.

Alzheimers disease

A lack of sleep will actually prevent your brain from being able to initially make new memories, so it's almost as without sleep the memory inbox of the brain shuts down and you can't commit new experiences to memory, meaning all new information is simply being discarded.

Also a lack of sleep will lead to an increased development of a toxic protein in the brain that is called beta amyloid and that is associated with Alzheimer's disease. It is during deep sleep at night when a sewage system within the brain actually kicks into high gear and it starts to wash away this toxic protein beta amyloid. If you're not getting enough sleep each and every night more of that Alzheimer's related protein will build up and the more protein that builds up, the greater your risk of going on to develop dementia in later life.

Emotional swings

Experts have found that in sleep-deprived patients, the amygdala, a part of the brain that processes emotion, becomes "rewired" in a way that reduces our rational response to external events. These individuals have big emotional swings, going from upset to giddy in moments. Sleep deprivation can even create symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia.

Depression

Investigators have discovered that individuals with depression who improve their sleep experience a faster response from antidepressants.

Seven steps to improve your sleeping habits for better mental health

1. Establish a regular sleep-wake cycle - try to sleep and wake at regular times consistently.

2. Try to ensure that you have a comfortable bed and bedroom - noise, light and temperature should be tailored to your preferences if possible.

3. Limit the use of stimulants - such as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol near bed time.

4. Avoid drinking excessive liquids - especially in the evening to minimise chances of waking to empty your bladder.

5. Avoid going to bed until you are drowsy and actually ready to sleep - Most people who suffer from insomnia spend more time in bed lying awake rather than actually asleep.

6. Regular daily exercise - but not too late in the evening as this could be stimulating.

7. Avoid electronic devices late at night - such as computers, mobiles, tablets and so on; the bright light can be overly stimulating and keep you awake.

How does lack of sleep affect you?

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