Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation
Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation
Nearly everyone has encountered the horrible zombie-like feeling after a night of little-to-no sleep. You feel drowsy, your cognitive function is impaired, you get annoyed by just about anything that moves, and most of all nearly all of the biological processes within your body are impaired. In this article we discuss the definition and symptoms of sleep deprivation.
Definition of Sleep Deprivation
The dictionary definition of sleep deprivation is not getting the required amount of sleep you need. It affects an estimated one-third of American adults—a problem that has only worsened in recent years.
Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation
There are quite a few distinct signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation. This can include but is not limited to excessive daytime sleepiness, reduced levels of concentration, slower thinking, and mood swings—lots and lots of mood swings. One of the trademarked (no, not literally) symptoms of sleep deprivation is feeling tired during the day—the whole day. Interestingly enough, this can lead to sessions of "microsleep" in which an individual dozens off for only a matter of seconds. Additional symptoms of sleep deprivation include:
- Limited attention span
- Lack of energy
- Decreased sex drive and lower levels of testosterone
- Poor and impulsive decision making
- Increased risk of depression
- Feelings of stress and anxiety
- Craving carbohydrates
Symptoms often depend on the severity of sleep deprivation and whether it's acute or chronic. Acute sleep deprivation refers to little-to-no sleep in the past one to two days. Chronic sleep deprivation, however, refers to a person who routinely sleeps less than the amount required.
Studies suggests that certain individuals are more (or less) likely to experience symptoms of lack of sleep and this may be tied to a person's genetics. Caffeine can mask these symptoms until you can't function without it. It is important to take note of how you feel both on and off these substances.
Is Sleep Deprivation Different From Insomnia?
People with sleep deprivation, as a result of their own behavior and choices, don't have enough time to sleep. Whereas people with insomnia have trouble sleeping even when there is plenty of time to sleep.
How Is Sleep Deprivation Diagnosed?
Doctors can often diagnose sleep deprivation by discussing a patient's sleep patterns and symptoms. This, however, may not always give an accurate diagnosis. Reveal is the world's first online insomnia quiz that is powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and has questions formulated by licensed therapists.
Unlike other online sleep tests Reveal provides you with a percentage-based diagnosis and then uniquely recommends with machine learning, the next steps to take. This can include recommended supplement needs like Easy Sleep, reading up on helpful tips, connecting live with one of our therapists, and so much more. You can take Reveal's online insomnia test here.
Summary
Nearly all of us have encountered the horrible zombie-like feeling after a night of no sleep. You feel drowsy, your cognitive function is impaired, you get annoyed by just about anyone or anything, and most of all nearly all of the biological processes within your body are impaired.
There are quite a few distinct signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation. This can include:
- Limited attention span
- Lack of energy
- Decreased sex drive and lower levels of testosterone
- Poor and impulsive decision making
- Increased risk of depression
- Feelings of stress and anxiety
- Craving carbohydrates
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