Need Help To Sleep? Sleep Deprived People Have Impaired Function

May 11, 2011

You don't have to feel fatigue to be sleep deprived.

Even if you’re sleep deprived, you may be able to go through your day without feeling tired. However, that doesn’t mean your brain isn’t affected. Studies show that the sleep deprived 1) make riskier decisions, and 2) may have parts of their brains fall asleep throughout the day, impairing functions.

Sleep Deprivation Affects Decision Making

Those who have been sleep deprived have been shown to take bigger risks—although this may have some impairment at most jobs, doctors, police, and others whose jobs have high stakes can really find sleep deprivation to be problematic.
Lack Of Sleep At Night May Lead Your Brain To Sleep During The Day

A new study shows that different parts of the brain may fall asleep during the day—without you noticing by feeling fatigue.

One of the parts of the brain susceptible to daytime sleep is the part responsible for decision making, which makes it harder to perform simple tasks.

The Importance of Sleep

Your brain needs to rest. When you sleep, your brain resets neurons, which some researchers believe is critical to decision making. Once your brain has processed information absorbed during the day, it’s often able to understand it better. The phrase “sleep on it”, then, is quite astute.

What’s more, not getting enough sleep can have a critical affect on your health. During the night, your body performs many important functions that affect the immune system, aging, and heart health.

Need Sleep Help? Fight Insomnia

Start naturally—eliminate light, which can impair melatonin production. Clear your mind before bed (different strategies work for different people: making a list of the next day’s tasks, talking through problems, or read a book). Make sure that you have time to get 7-9 hours of sleep, although people sleep less with age, it’s not because they don’t need it.

If you still have trouble, try exercising early in the day, which will make you more tired at night. Avoid caffeine, as well as heavy meals late in the evening.

If all else fails, look into natural sleep aids. Avoid many prescription sleeping pills, as they can be addicting while failing to provide the regenerative sleep your brain needs.

What are your best tips for overcoming sleep deprivation?

  • Harvey Morgan

    I have had rather chronic insomnia for most of my life and I’ve recently started doing many things talked about in this article. I turn off the brighter lights in my bedroom an hour before bed, read for maybe half an hour, and, then just try to relax. Exercising has also helped a lot and I’ve noticed I become more tired after a full day’s work. I’ve thought about melatonin as a sleep supplement, but have yet to try it.

Previous post:

Next post: