Some outcomes of poor sleep can be obvious. Others may not be something you connect with fatigue and tiredness. You can use this list as examples of what to look out for as signs of poor sleep.
Outcomes of Poor Sleep
Daytime difficulties
The parts of our brains that help us plan, make decisions, evaluate danger, and manage our behaviour are impacted when we don’t get enough good quality sleep.
Poor memory and concentration
Sleep allows us to learn and remember things well. Memories from the day move from our short-term to long-term memory while we are asleep. Without sleep, this cannot happen, which is why pulling an all-nighter before an exam may do more harm than good.
Mood changes
Sleep deprivation affects our ability to store positive memories, but doesn’t have the same effect on negative or neutral memories. This can lead us, over time, to feel like only bad things have happened because our brain cannot store the good things in the same way.
Mental health
Mental health and sleep deprivation are tightly linked and can create a cycle with one affecting the other. Sleep deprivation can lead to symptoms of anxiety and depression. Individuals experiencing anxiety and depression are also more likely to experience sleep deprivation.
Obesity
Good sleep helps us regulate our weight. When we sleep well, we produce more of the hormone that tells us that we are full, but sleep deprivation increases the levels of the hormone that makes us feel hungry.
Lack of sleep also causes increased levels of cortisol in our bodies, making us crave foods that are rich in carbohydrates when we are stressed. These foods break down quickly during digestion, giving us a glucose boost, which is then followed by an energy slump. This creates a cycle where we crave energy-dense food to give us another boost.
Compromised immune system
Our immune systems are complex and depend on multiple processes functioning consistently. Sleep deprivation can impair the release of hormones and the repair and maintenance of vital cells and proteins. This results in increased chances of becoming unwell.
Studies have shown, for example, that lack of sleep can affect both the number and duration of colds that people catch.
