I Summarized the Effects of Sleep Deprivation on the Body
Recently, I spent three weeks averaging 5 hours of sleep a night, and my body completely gave out. So here's my summary.
- Concentration drop: At least once a day, I'd space out while eating.
- Mood swings: I actually teared up for no reason a couple of times.
- Lowered immunity: Cold sores on my lips twice, and a sore throat that didn't go away for a full month.
- Appetite issues: Intense cravings for sweets, plus heartburn from excess stomach acid.
In conclusion, sleep deprivation is the root of all illness. Work, exercise, even coffee—none of it can beat sleep. These days I set a bedtime alarm and I'm in bed by 11:30 no matter what.
10 answers
Yeah, sleep deprivation is really killing me.
I also went to the hospital after sleeping only 4 hours a night for 3 weeks... The symptoms are exactly the same. Especially the zoning out and heartburn.
Sleep alarm seems like a good idea, I'll try it too.
Well, sleep is definitely important, but isn't calling it 'the root of all diseases' a bit of an exaggeration? There are plenty of cases that can't be solved by sleep alone.
That's right lol I've been sleeping 5 hours these days and my focus is crap
I also struggled back in the day when my immune system crashed from lack of sleep, but now I stick to 7 hours. Craving sweets is a real warning sign. Once I fixed my sleep pattern, it got better.
But if you sleep 5 hours and drink lots of coffee, you'd stay up even more, wouldn't you?
I'm actually struggling with oversleeping... Reading this makes me realize that balance is important.
Do you have a source? It's a bit much to generalize based on personal experience alone.
Thanks for the great summary. I also definitely felt better after extending my sleep time. However, results may vary by individual, so take it with a grain of salt.