Lack of sleep actually does lead to documentable impairment. Most people in the United States, at least, have driven through the night at least once in their lives. Maybe that is not such a great idea. Staying awake for just 18 hours leads to driving impairments akin to those of something with a blood alcohol content of 0.05% (Williamson & Feyer, 2000). Staying up for twenty-four hours straight leads to impairment equal to that of someone with a blood alcohol content of 0.10%, which is higher than the legal limit of 0.08%. Scientists have also found that lack of sleep prevents neurons in the brain from functioning properly, which can lead to jumbled thoughts and spacey thinking (Nield, 2017). Working memory and attention can also suffer due to lack of sleep (Alhola & Polo-Kantola, 2007). While everyone has times when they cannot go to sleep, or end up needing to stay awake (especially if they have small children), it really is not that good for the brain. (Side note: Women tend to have less immediate side effects from prolonged wakefulness, but take longer to recover from it. This would make sense due to the ongoing biological need to care for children.) On the flip side, sleep can help the brain clear out toxins and wastes (Paturel, 2014). It can help consolidate memories (Diekelmann, 2014). It can boost the ability to learn (Greer, 2004). Adequate, quality sleep literally gives people a leg up on life.
Sleepless effects not just the brain, but also the body. Poor sleep leads to ongoing production of the sleep hormone cortisol (Dasgupta, 2021). Too much cortisol can disrupt hormonal balance of estrogen and progesterone, slowing down the thyroid, and therefore the metabolism, in women. Too little sleep can disrupt leptin, gherlin, and insulin which regulate fullness, hunger, and blood sugar, potentially leading to energy imbalance. Melatonin, released during the sleep/wake cycle, can get disrupted when sleep is poor, impacting immunity and more. Too much sleep can also negatively impact the body. The right amount of sleep, however, promotes better overall total health.
Stressing about sleep? Well, that really is not that good for you either. But given the research, maybe we should all give just a little more attention to adequate sleep. Sleep is not as fancy or trendy as supplements or the latest new diet plan, but it might have just as many benefits. Plus, it's free. Sleep, it really is that good for us. Let's all try to do better about getting enough!
References:
Alhola, P., & Polo-Kantola, P. (2007). Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment 3(5): 553-567. PMID: 1930585.
Dasgupta, R. (2021, September 1). How sleep can affect your hormone levels, plus 12 ways to sleep deep. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep/how-sleep-can-affect-your-hormone-levels
Diekelmann, S. (2014). Sleep for cognitive enhancement. Frontiers in System Neuroscience. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnsys.2014.00046/full
Greer, M. (2004). Strengthen your brain by resting it. Monitor on Psychology 35(7): 60. https://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug04/strengthen
Nield, D. (2017, November 07). Sleep deprivation has the same effect as drinking too much, says student. Science Alert. https://www.sciencealert.com/tiredness-sleep-deprivation-the-same-as-drinking-too-much
Paturel, A. (2014, February/March). The benefits of sleep for brain health. Brain and Life. https://www.brainandlife.org/articles/could-getting-more-high-quality-sleep-protect-the-brain
Williamson, A., & Feyer, A. (2000). Moderate sleep deprivation produces impairments in cognitive and motor performance equivalent to legally prescribed levels of alcohol intoxication. Occupational & Environmental Medicine 57(10): 649-655. https: doi: 10.1136/oem.57.10.649
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