The Great, the Bad and the Ugly Effects of Sleep on the Brain
The Bad and Ugly Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Your Brain
Anyone who thinks they are accomplishing more in their life by foregoing sleep is really fooling him/herself. This year’s Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was awarded to a group of researchers studying the circadian clock. Their studies revealed that the sleep cycle is encoded in our genes, demonstrating how far-reaching our need for sleep is. (https://futurism.com)
Impact of sleep deprivation on mood, behavior and emotions
Let’s start with the impact that sleep deprivation has on our mood, behavior and emotions. In a study on sleep deprivation, scientists discovered that after just 19 hours without sleep, your speed and accuracy on tests of judgment and motor reaction are impaired as much as if you were illegally drunk. This impairs any activity that requires quick thinking and coordination.
Being tired and emotional due to lack of sleep can have major consequences in every day life. In one sleep study, sleep deprived participants experienced greater stress and anger than rested control participants when asked to complete a simple cognitive test.
Getting enough sleep helps with mood and emotion regulation. All areas of the brain are connected and working together. But when sleep is disrupted you might feel cranky, irritable or emotionally out of sorts. And, you might become more reactive to stress. (bad news)
It was revealed through brain imaging studies why sleep deprivation can lead to irrational responses. The amygdale, the emotional control center of our brain, showed a 60% increase in activity levels over rested participants when shown emotionally negative images. The researchers also looked at how different brain areas were connected in these two groups of study participants. They found that sleep deprivation disrupted the connection between the amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex. This was an important insight because the medial prefrontal cortex itself regulates amygdala function. When this happens in sleep deprivation, the amygdala overreacts to negative stimuli because it is disconnected to the brain areas that would regulate its response.
Researchers have also discovered that sleep deprivation may be a contributing factor for a number of psychiatric conditions – not just one of their symptoms. Sleep problems contribute to the development of depression and reduce the efficacy of treatment, and may be involved in bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and ADHD. (https://futurism.com)
Sleeping to learn
The hippocampus is the center of learning and new memories. The hippocampus is very busy while we sleep consolidating and embedding memories. When we lack sleep for even one night, the ability to memorize new information drops dramatically. Research studies revealed that when memorizing a set of pictures, sleep deprived participants showed less activation in the hippocampus. The deficit in the hippocampus could be caused by sleep deprivation reducing its ability to write in new information.
Physical Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Not only has the brain stopped functioning effectively, the body takes a hit too.
You can end up looking bad! Consistently missing sleep can lead to premature wrinkling and sagging of our skin. This happens because cortisol the stress hormone released when you are sleep deprived) can break down collagen. (Wow – that maximizes normal aging effects) You can also feel colder than normal because sleep is essential for body temperature regulation.
Your heart can suffer. Sleeping less than six hours a night can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure and increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Your appetite can go into overdrive. When you don’t get enough sleep – you are hungrier than usual and crave comfort foods – especially high-fat, high carbohydrate. Your ability to feel full is also affected. Now if stress is keeping you up at night – it is easy to understand your unwanted weight gain. You not only end up with a stress belly but it is made worse by the sleep-deprived belly.
And another whammy. When you are tired and even moderately sleep-deprived, your immune function is compromised. This can leave you vulnerable to colds, the flu, and other infectious illnesses. It can also be harder to recover from infections and wounds. I know I have experienced this backlash from bouts of sleep deprivation.
The scariest effect of all
In a very recent commentary in Medscape the results of a recent study on sleep deprivation in middle age were released. Dr. Richard Isaacson, director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine at New York Presbyterian, related the findings from a new study that looked at midlife sleep changes and how it affects cognitive function and Alzheimer’s risk over time. As we have already learned, the brain has the glymphatic system to clean amyloid from the brain. But you must get good sleep for this to occur.
The study looked at midlife sleeping complaints. Insomnia during midlife shows a higher risk for cognitive decline just a decade or so later. Nightmares in midlife can predicts cognitive decline 20-30 years later.
Dr. Isaacson believes that these are critical findings. He is emphatic that more studies need to be done to determine how sleep disorders will impact the aging brain. He stresses the importance of good sleep hygiene.
Set a time and get prepared for sleep
No TV in the bedroom
Shut off electronic devises 30 minutes before bed
Avoid stimulating activities at night
Avoid certain sleep agents – diphenhydramine or other benzodiazepines – sleeping pills
These medications may take the edge off and get you to sleep, but not provide restful sleep
Recent studies suggest that overuse of some of these medications may be associated with an increased risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease down the line
Caffeine during the day, early in the day, may not be a problem, but after 1 or 2 pm, may interrupt sleep and wake cycles
Now if all of this seems like too much to take in – go back and read the Great things that happen in your brain while you sleep. These bonuses are definitely worth changing bad sleep habits.
References:
Here’s How Sleeping Too Little Literally Transforms Your Brain. Retrieved April 24, 2018 from https://futurism.com/heres-how-sleeping-too-little-literally-transforms-your-brain/
How Losing Sleep Affects Your Body and Mind. Retrieved April 24, 2018 from https://sleep.org/articles/how-losing-sleep-affects-your-body-mind/
Isaacson, R. (April 6, 2018). Cognitive decline associated with middle-age sleep problems. Medscape. Retrieved April 24, 2018 from https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/894519?src=wnl_edit_tpal&uac=3422EY
Tamminen, J. (October 17, 2016). How a lack of sleep affects your brain, from your personality to how you learn. Retrieved April 24, 2018 from https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/how-a-lack-of-sleep-affects-you-brain-from-your-personality-to-how-you-learn-a7366216.html