Does anyone know if there are any long term effects from being sleep deprived? Due to certain circumstances, I have been averaging 1-2 hours a night with a little extra on the weekends. This has been going on for 4 months. I am really tired in the morning, but after some coffee I feel okay. I do feel like its taking a toll on my body ~ but could it possibly do any damage? Uhoh... maybe paranoia is an effect?:bugeye:
No, there are no long term health problems directly caused by sleep deprivation, I spoke to a medical professional about this once. Any problems you experience like increased stress, or mental/physical fatigue, will go away once you start getting enough sleep again. If you become truly exhausted you may pass out/faint - this is a scary experience but generally not harmful (unless you fall and hit your head Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! ) There is a certain part of your mind that needs rest for you to live. There was this one case, of this man, who had some incredibly rare disease, in which he couldn't sleep at all, and it eventually killed him (I think it took a few months though). I asked "Well why couldn't he just go to the hospital and be knocked unconscious like they do for patients who undergo open heart surgery, just give him a poweful anesthetic or hit him over the back of the head with a cowbar?" I was told there is a certain part of your brain that needs sleep, and even if you were to do that, you wouldn't be able to target that area of the brain. Remember the brain is a very complex organ. We as humans supposedly only use about a 3rd of it (that is why someone people who get shot in the head survive). The left side of the brain is responsible for certain things, and the right for others. The ortibal cortex has a different function than parts of the brain in the back. You should be ok; but I wouldn't let this go on much longer. If your body needs sleep, you'll sleep. But not getting enough sleep usually has a really nasty effect on peoples personality.
Plus you can start hallucinating,that happened to me once when I went without sleep,I could not tell what was real & what was a dream. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! HJave some of this:m: it will help you sleep
You need to try to deal with why you are not sleeping. Exercise can be helpful. Also taking a calcium supplement at bedtime helps. You might want to talk to your Dr. about it. He/she may want to do a sleep study in a lab. The biggest danger is that you may fall asleep at the wheel at 75mph.
the promise of sleep Hi *stRgrL* I read a book called "The promise of sleep" by Dr. William Dement and Christopher Vaughan. It may interest you and I highly recommend it, it answers so many questions about the effects of sleep deprivation. I myself am a raging insomniac. I also think I eat crackers/cookies in my sleep. Every few months I wake up surrounded by cracker crumbs. I have no recollection of getting up to get the crackers/cookies nor do I recall eating them however the package will be on my bed along with a ton of crumbs...weird. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
I havent been getting much sleep either. My grades have plummeted, Ive missed a whole bunch of days of school. I can barely even make complete sentences here. Oh and, I have no energy, and Im eating like crap due to the odd awake hours. So no bad effects you say? Hmmmm.... Bonne Nuit, TristanPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
I also tend to go though periods were I get only a few hours of sleep a night. I don't have any evidence for this besides personal experience and experiences others have told me about, but I think it weakens your immune system while you're doing it. makes you more likely to get sick
Sleep? The only cure for lack of that, I think, is to remove from your life what is causing you this lack of sleep (usually stress related). Sometimes this is understandably difficult or temporarily impossible. Before you can proceed with proper diet and regular exercise, you must want to. "life is short, kick ass every day"
Why? You act like her sleeping habits is a bad thing. I'd love to have a 4 hour per day sleep time. (w/o the drugs and caffeine. lol. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!)
I've heard that if you are young your growth can be stunted by lack of sleep, and I tend to agree with that. But I've read a lot, and haven't seen much information on it.
I believe that’s pure unsolicited garbage, and whoever pumps it will rot in their own sleepy decay. Thank you. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Xanax can you do that without a prescription, though?Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Just plain old over the counter benydryl (antihistamine) works for me. It is the active ingredient in most over the counter sleep aids. And yes no matter what anyone posts here, sleep deprivation over a long period of time can ruin your health. I have been there and done that.
Some of you people are missing the point. Sleep deprivation has no lasting effects on health after such individual's sleep pattern has returned to normal. During the time when you are not getting enough sleep, sure it can mess you up - but you shouldn't have permanent damage 10 years down the road when you are getting 7 hours of sleep per night. Your body will tend to itself in this manner. You may wind up fainting, but you should be ok as long as this goes away. Star Girl you said this was due to certain circumstances in your life, therefore I take it this cycle will go away eventually.
This is a liink to the National library of Medicine. It is searchable. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi
stRgrL, Those all night sex parties do take a toll on your body. You should take a break from those for awhile.
lol. Masturbation might be an alternative. How, Clarentavious? Because it’s something new that she hasn’t been experiencing all her life, and therefore it’s bad? I’m sure anything anybody is not used to might mess them up initially, but why would should she want to change back? As she said, she’s perfectly fine. In fact, there’s no reason for stargirl not to be perfectly fine with the sleep she’s getting. No reason for her to want the disadvantaged over slumbered life that the rest of us live by. It’s tremendously benefiting her life, and she probably doesn’t even know it. Not only is this benefiting her health, but think of the productivity potential of sleeping less. I’d like anybody to show me conclusive evidence that her sleeping habits are unhealthy. I don’t even know what would give everybody here the slightest inclination that star’s sleeping habits need to be changed. If I’m wrong, somebody please enlighten me, and give me some evidence that can’t thrown in a grinder of refutation. -cool skill
