Battling Sleepless Nights: When Will It End?

Sleep is essential for human health and well-being. While the exact reasons why we sleep are not known, it is clear that sleep plays a vital role in our physical, cognitive, and mental health. Going without sleep for even one night can have negative consequences, and the effects of sleep deprivation become more severe with every hour that passes. After 24 hours without sleep, individuals may experience impaired judgment and decision-making, diminished memory and attention, impaired vision and hearing, and increased muscle tension. At the 36-hour mark, the physical impact on the body is more pronounced, with higher levels of inflammatory markers in the blood and intensified side effects. By 48 hours, most people experience microsleep, a protective reflex where the brain briefly goes offline for a few seconds to force the body to sleep. After 72 hours without sleep, individuals may struggle to regulate their emotions, experience hallucinations, and have difficulty interpreting their surroundings accurately. While rare, death from sleep deprivation is possible, especially in individuals with certain rare medical disorders such as Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI). Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize sleep and seek medical advice if you regularly have trouble sleeping.

After 24 hours without sleep, you may experience anxiety, agitation, and impaired cognitive functioning

Sleep deprivation can have a significant impact on your overall health and well-being. After 24 hours without sleep, you are likely to experience a range of symptoms, including impaired decision-making, vision and hearing impairments, decreased hand-eye coordination, increased muscle tension, and a higher risk of accidents. This level of sleep deprivation can be compared to having a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit for driving.

In addition to the physical effects, your mental health can also be affected. You may experience increased anxiety and agitation due to the lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation can alter your brain's functioning, impacting your ability to regulate emotions, attention, and cognitive processes such as memory and problem-solving. It can also lead to impaired judgment and emotional processing, making it difficult to recognize and respond appropriately to emotions in yourself and others.

To manage sleep deprivation and improve your sleep quality, it is essential to practice good sleep hygiene. This includes maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, creating a relaxing sleep environment, avoiding electronic devices before bed, and seeking professional help if necessary.

After 36 hours without sleep, you may experience hallucinations, increased mood changes, and alterations in brain function

Sleep is essential for our health and happiness. After 36 hours without sleep, you may experience hallucinations, increased mood changes, and alterations in brain function.

Hallucinations

After 36 hours without sleep, you may start to hallucinate. This means you may see, hear, or feel things that aren't actually there. These hallucinations can be simple, such as thinking you see something growing from the floor, or they may become more complex after 72 hours without sleep. Complex hallucinations can include seeing fully formed images or hearing things that aren't there, such as a dog barking.

Mood Changes

Sleep loss can have a significant impact on your mood. Studies show that people who are sleep-deprived report increases in negative moods, such as anger, frustration, irritability, and sadness, as well as decreases in positive moods. Sleep loss can also lead to behavioural issues, especially in children, and increased problems with social cues.

Alterations in Brain Function

Sleep is crucial for supporting healthy brain function. After 36 hours without sleep, you may experience alterations in brain function, including reduced concentration and a decreased ability to think creatively. Your perception of time may also be affected, and you may have trouble with properly perceiving the length of time that has passed.

In addition to the effects listed above, going without sleep for 36 hours can cause physical symptoms, such as extreme fatigue, and increased appetite. You may also experience illusions, such as misidentifying common objects or sounds.

It's important to note that the effects of sleep deprivation can vary from person to person and can be influenced by various factors, including age, physical activity levels, and general health. If you are experiencing severe sleep deprivation, it is recommended to seek advice from a healthcare professional.

After 48 hours without sleep, you may experience depersonalisation, derealisation, and difficulty perceiving time

After 48 hours without sleep, you will likely experience microsleeps, which are periods of light sleep that can last up to 30 seconds. During these microsleeps, your brain will be in a sleeplike state, and you may feel confused or disoriented when you wake up.

At this point, your immune system will also be disrupted. Inflammatory markers, which help your body fight off illnesses, will start to circulate at increased levels. Research has shown that natural killer (NK) cell activity, which responds to immediate threats to your health such as viruses or bacteria, decreases with sleep deprivation.

In addition to the physical effects, your mental health may also be impacted. You may experience depersonalisation and derealisation, which are characterised by feelings of detachment from reality. These symptoms have been associated with anxiety and depression, which often have a bidirectional relationship with sleep.

It is important to note that the effects of sleep deprivation can be cumulative, and the longer you stay awake, the more severe the symptoms may become. If you are experiencing sleep deprivation, it is recommended to seek medical advice and work on improving your sleep hygiene, such as by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, avoiding screens before bed, and practising relaxation techniques.

After 72 hours without sleep, you may experience complex hallucinations, delusions, and a loss of touch with reality

After 72 hours without sleep, you will likely experience an overwhelming urge to sleep. At this point, it will be extremely difficult to stay awake. You may experience microsleep, which are periods of light sleep that can last up to 30 seconds. During microsleep, the brain is in a sleep-like state. After a microsleep, you might feel confused or disoriented.

Sleep deprivation will also significantly impair your perception. Your hallucinations may become more complex, and you may experience delusions. You may also have trouble with executive functions such as multitasking, remembering details, and paying attention.

Emotions are also affected by sleep deprivation. You may experience a depressed mood, anxiety, paranoia, irritability, anger, hostility, apathy, or euphoria. Research has found that sleep deprivation makes it more difficult to process others' emotions. For example, participants with 30 hours of sleep deprivation had difficulty recognizing angry and happy facial expressions.

The long-term effects of sleep deprivation can include high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, anxiety, and depression

Sleep deprivation can have serious long-term effects on the body and increase the risk of developing several health conditions. Here are some of the potential long-term effects of sleep deprivation:

• High blood pressure: Sleep deprivation can lead to an increase in blood pressure, which can put you at risk of a heart attack or stroke.
• Obesity: Sleep affects the hormones that control hunger and fullness, such as leptin and ghrelin. Sleep deprivation can disrupt these hormones, leading to weight gain and obesity.
• Diabetes: Lack of sleep can cause the body to release less insulin, leading to insulin resistance and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.
• Heart disease: Sleep deprivation can affect the processes that keep the heart and blood vessels healthy, increasing the likelihood of cardiovascular disease.
• Anxiety and depression: Sleep deprivation can negatively impact mental health, making it harder to manage and process emotions. It can lead to symptoms of anxiety and depression, and compromise decision-making and creativity.

It is important to seek help from a healthcare provider if you are experiencing sleep deprivation, as it can have serious consequences for your health and well-being.

Frequently asked questions