Sleepless Nights: The Dangerous Health Risks Of Insomnia

Sleep is vital for our physical, cognitive and mental well-being. Sleep deprivation can have serious short- and long-term health effects. After just 24 hours without sleep, you may experience symptoms such as impaired decision-making, vision and hearing impairments, decreased hand-eye coordination, increased muscle tension, and an increased risk of accidents. The longer you go without sleep, the more severe the symptoms become. After 36 hours without sleep, you may experience decreased motivation, inflexible reasoning, and speech impairments. After 48 hours, most people have difficulty staying awake and experience periods of microsleep. After 72 hours without sleep, people may experience a rapid and severe decline in mental health, including symptoms of psychosis, complex delusions, and violent behaviour.

After 72 hours, your perception of reality may be severely distorted

After 72 hours without sleep, your perception of reality may be severely distorted. This is because your body and mind will be under extreme stress, and your ability to think clearly and regulate your emotions will be significantly compromised.

At this point, you will likely experience an overwhelming urge to sleep and may be unable to stay awake without assistance. Your thinking will be impaired, especially when it comes to executive functions such as multitasking, remembering details, and paying attention. You may also find it difficult to see even simple tasks through to completion.

Emotionally, you may experience a range of symptoms, including irritability, anxiety, depression, and paranoia. Research has also shown that people who have gone without sleep for this long have difficulty processing others' emotions. For example, in one study, participants who had been awake for 30 hours struggled to recognise angry and happy facial expressions.

In addition to emotional and cognitive impairments, your physical health may also be affected. Your immune system will be compromised, and inflammatory markers will circulate at increased levels, making it harder for your body to prevent and target illnesses.

The effects of sleep deprivation will vary from person to person, but it is clear that going without sleep for 72 hours can have severe consequences. It is essential to prioritise sleep and seek help if you are regularly having trouble sleeping, as the risks associated with sleep deprivation can be dangerous and even life-threatening.

After 48 hours, you may experience symptoms of depersonalisation and derealisation

After 48 hours without sleep, you are likely to experience microsleep, a protective reflex from your brain that forces you to fall asleep for a brief moment. You may not even be aware that it is happening. However, this can be dangerous if you are driving or in a vulnerable position. By this point, the side effects of sleep deprivation will be intensifying by the hour.

In addition to the emotional, cognitive, physical, and mental health symptoms that come with sleep deprivation, after 48 hours, you may experience symptoms of depersonalisation and derealisation. These are problems with accurately perceiving yourself and reality. You may feel detached from reality and have a distorted sense of self.

Symptoms of sleep deprivation at this stage include:

• Switching between feelings of apathy and euphoria
• Auditory disturbances, such as not being able to recognise where a sound is coming from
• Feeling as though you are outside of your body
• Difficulty forming thoughts and sentences
• A decrease in depressive mood
• An increase in dissociative symptoms
• A decrease in the tendency to suppress unwanted thoughts
• Confusion

Sleep deprivation can also cause an increase in dissociative experiences, such as depersonalisation, derealisation, and absorption. This is due to the impairment of the sleep-wake cycle, which leads to cognitive errors and increased susceptibility to daydreaming.

After 36 hours, you may experience increased mood changes, alterations in brain function and physical symptoms

After 36 hours of sleep deprivation, you will likely experience a range of physical and mental symptoms. Your body and brain will be under considerable stress, and you will notice alterations in your mood, attention, body temperature, and appetite.

Mentally, you may experience increased mood changes, such as feelings of apathy, euphoria, irritability, anxiety, or depression. Your ability to think creatively will be reduced, and you may have difficulty forming thoughts and sentences. You may also experience illusions, such as misidentifying common objects or sounds. For example, you might see something growing from the floor or struggle to interpret whether something you see is human.

Physically, your body will be under significant stress. You will experience higher levels of inflammatory markers in the blood, and your hormones will be imbalanced. You may also experience slowed metabolism and increased appetite. Your sleep-wake cycle, which helps regulate the release of hormones such as cortisol, insulin, and human growth hormone, will be disrupted.

It is important to note that the effects of sleep deprivation can vary from person to person, and you may experience symptoms earlier or later than others. However, after 36 hours without sleep, the negative consequences on your health will be significant.

After 24 hours, you may have trouble concentrating and experience problems with cognition and thinking

After 24 hours without sleep, you will likely experience trouble concentrating and problems with cognition and thinking. This is because the effects of sleep deprivation begin to set in after a single night without sleep.

You may also experience other symptoms, such as daytime sleepiness, anxiety, irritability, behavioural issues, and changes in visual perception. Your performance at work or school may also be impacted, and you may have increased problems with social cues.

Research has shown that staying awake for 24 hours causes similar problems with cognitive functioning as having a blood alcohol content of 0.10%, which is over the legal limit for driving in most places. This means that your reaction time, judgment, decision-making, memory, attention, vision, hearing, and hand-eye coordination may all be impaired.

Additionally, your body will produce more stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, as your body's way of compensating for the fatigue you're experiencing. This can lead to an increased risk of accidents or near misses.

While the effects of 24 hours of sleep deprivation are unpleasant, they are usually temporary and will go away once you get some sleep. However, it's important to prioritize sleep and practice good sleep hygiene to avoid the negative consequences of sleep deprivation.

Sleep deprivation can lead to long-term health complications

Sleep deprivation can have serious long-term health complications. After 72 hours without sleep, an individual's ability to regulate their emotions and accurately perceive the world around them is severely compromised. They may experience symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, and depression, as well as struggle with executive functioning and thinking.

Chronic sleep deprivation can have long-term health consequences, increasing the risk of various health conditions. These include:

• Cognitive impairment and dementia: Sleep plays a vital role in cognitive function and memory consolidation. Long-term sleep deprivation can lead to issues with memory, attention, and decision-making.
• Poor balance and coordination: Sleep helps the body maintain proper balance and coordination. Lack of sleep can result in clumsiness and increased risk of injuries.
• Weakened immune system: Adequate sleep is essential for a strong immune system. Sleep deprivation can decrease antibody response and make individuals more susceptible to infections and illnesses.
• Impaired glucose tolerance and Type 2 diabetes: Sleep plays a role in regulating blood sugar levels. Sleep deprivation can disrupt the body's ability to process glucose, increasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
• Overweight and obesity: Sleep deprivation can negatively impact metabolism and eating habits, leading to weight gain and obesity. It can increase cravings for calorie-dense foods and reduce motivation for physical activity.
• High blood pressure, cardiac events, and stroke: Sleep deprivation has been linked to increased blood pressure, higher heart rate, and inflammation, putting unnecessary strain on the heart and circulatory system.
• Depression and other mood disorders: Sleep is crucial for emotional regulation. Lack of sleep can lead to or worsen symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as other mood disorders.

Additionally, long-term sleep deprivation has been associated with hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, decreased brain function, memory loss, lower fertility rates, and various psychiatric disorders. It can also impact an individual's risk of developing certain types of cancers, such as colorectal cancer.

Frequently asked questions