Common problems related to sleep: trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, waking up, or sleeping less due to busy schedules.
Sleep deprivation can be serious.
Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Increased irritability.
Poor performance on memory and detention tasks.
Long-term implications for safety-critical professions (airline pilots, firefighters, drivers).
Canadian study: Monday after Spring time change (1-hour less sleep) = increase in traffic accidents, Monday after Fall time change (1-hour more sleep) = decrease in traffic accidents.
Health Impacts of Sleep Deprivation
Increased susceptibility to obesity:
More cortisol production (hormone that increases fat storage).
Increased hunger hormone leading to higher food intake and fat conversion.
Increased risk of depression:
REM sleep might help process emotional experiences, protecting against depression.
Recovering from Sleep Deprivation
Most people can recover by getting a few nights of good sleep.
Required amount of sleep varies:
Most adults need around 7-8 hours.
Babies need more; older adults can often manage with less.
Insomnia
Persistent problems in falling/staying asleep = insomnia.
Medications can help but may cause dependence and tolerance.
Treatment often includes:
Psychological training.
Lifestyle changes (e.g., regular exercise, relaxing before bed).
Narcolepsy
Disorder where people can't stop themselves from falling asleep.
Affects about 1 in 2000 people.
Symptoms:
Spontaneous fits of intense sleepiness, lapsing into REM sleep, lasting about five minutes.
Possibly genetic, linked to absence of a neurotransmitter related to alertness.