Sleep deprivation: what it is and how to use it for your benefit

Deprivation is a condition that is accompanied by a complete absence or lack of satisfaction of the need for sleep. It arises as a result of psycho-emotional disorders, coercion and even conscious choice. People who don't get enough sleep often look bad. They have red eyes and dark circles under them. Due to lack or lack of sleep, brain function is also disrupted. It is extremely difficult for a person to fulfill his obligations at the workplace, in an educational institution, etc. Why is sleep deprivation dangerous? What does it lead to? Is this condition reflected only in people's appearance and behavior? Perhaps it can provoke the appearance of serious illnesses? The answers to these questions are of interest to every person who cares about himself and his loved ones.

How much sleep do you need to avoid deprivation? There is no clear answer to this question. For some people, it is enough to sleep 7 hours, for others - 9. In general, we are talking about deprivation only when a person sleeps less in order to stay awake.

About the phenomenon of microsleep

Professor Feinsilver claims that to achieve the phenomenon of microsleep, it is enough to not sleep for just one night. What is this condition? Microsleep is a mini-nap lasting up to 30 seconds .
The eyes may be open, but the person is unconscious. The brain enters the sleep state quickly, but uncontrollably. Of course, a person can force himself to stay awake, but the possibility that he will again plunge into microsleep cannot be ruled out.

Pros and cons of deprivation

The advantages of deprivation are:

• Improved mood and performance. Deprivation is used to treat chronic depression and apathy.
• Increased creativity. It is believed that lack of sleep helps generate new ideas.

There are many more disadvantages to sleep deprivation than advantages. If you often do not allow yourself to sleep for more than a day, you may experience:

• Aggressiveness;
• Memory impairment;
• Loss of consciousness;
• Neurological disorders;
• Muscle pain;
• Weakness;
• Hallucinations;
• Loss and increase of appetite;
• Nausea;
• Vomiting, etc.

Regular sleep deprivation over a long period of time can provoke Alzheimer's disease - degeneration of brain cells (Neurology magazine dated 07.2017)

Adviсe

Sleep deprivation usually occurs in people who have irregular work schedules. In addition, this condition is typical for young people and new parents. To avoid it, it is recommended to sleep at least during the day. Daytime sleep can compensate for the lack of nighttime sleep. If this cannot be done, and your health worsens, then it is strongly recommended to contact specialists in a timely manner. It is important to remember that lack of sleep or complete refusal of it leads to the development of many diseases and disruption of the psycho-emotional state.

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What young parents need to know about sleep deprivation: a somnologist says

What is sleep deprivation? Does it necessarily happen to all parents of newborns?

Sleep deprivation is insufficient sleep or no sleep at all. Although the centers that regulate daily (circadian) rhythms are established in the child even before birth, they are lost immediately after birth. Newborn sleep is regulated by shorter (ultradian) rhythms. This results in a 3-4 hour cycle between sleep and wakefulness. By two to three months, sleep begins to gradually consolidate around the night. Most babies experience a continuous stretch of sleep lasting 5-6 hours at night, but night awakenings typically continue for up to a year, and in some children longer.

An adult is accustomed to getting his nightly sleep requirement continuously. After the baby is born, awakenings become inevitable. As a result, most new parents do not get enough sleep during the night. There are two ways to avoid deprivation:

1) feed the baby while half asleep, without waking up completely. This is only possible in the case of breastfeeding while sleeping together and not all mothers succeed. Some mothers are afraid to crush, “sleep” the baby, so they wake up completely and try to stay awake the entire time of night feeding;

2) Allocate more time to sleep during the day. Go to bed earlier in the evening, together with the child, or sleep with the baby during the day (if the mother can sleep during the day). But not everyone can afford this. Much depends on the availability of helpers in a young family and the temperament and characteristics of the child. For example, parents of a colicky baby who does not receive help from relatives find it difficult to find enough time to sleep. In addition, new parents do not always realize how important sleep is and the extent to which lack of sleep leads to their poor mood and well-being.

Biology teaches us that it is natural for babies to wake up at short intervals. In theory, the mother's body should respond to this need. How (by what hormones?) is maternal regimen regulated after the birth of a child? Do sleep properties change after a woman becomes a mother?

Yes, sure. According to the data available to scientists, a mother's sleep changes after the birth of a child. It is believed that through sleep a woman begins to better hear any sounds made by her baby. Additionally, there is research showing that co-sleeping (in the same bed or room) synchronizes a mother's sleep cycles with her baby's. At the same time, in the first month and a half, the mother’s body recovers after childbirth, and probably for this process she needs a long duration of deep sleep. However, an objective sleep study - polysomnography - can disturb a person's sleep (many sensors on the head and sometimes on the body create discomfort), so for ethical reasons the sleep of new mothers is rarely studied. It is difficult to identify the connection between a young mother’s sleep and hormonal changes. It's not just hormones that are responsible for changes in sleep. The mother hears her child better in her sleep and reacts more sensitively to his signals during sleep, since the baby is very important to her (including due to maternal instinct). In a state of sleep, our brain is “fenced off” from the outside world, but the most significant signals pass through. For example, a sleeping person may not wake up from a loud conversation, but his name, spoken even in a whisper, will wake him up immediately. Likewise, mothers develop a certain dominant that allows her to hear her baby through sleep.

Is it true that sleep becomes more responsive? Does this apply to both parents or only women?

It is mothers' sleep that becomes more sensitive. Fathers usually do not begin to better hear and control the baby’s sleep state. But mothers wake up from the slightest rustle and anxiety of the child. It is for this reason that when sleeping together in the first six months of life, it is recommended to place the child not between father and mother, but between mother and the side/wall.

What are the dangers of sleep deprivation for parents of newborns? What consequences might it have?

The consequences of sleep deprivation for young parents are the same as for any other people, but there is one addition: they can affect not only the condition and well-being of the adult, but indirectly also the child. Chronic partial sleep deprivation leads to drowsiness. But not only! Insufficient sleep causes decreased attention and motivation, worsens mood and leads to increased irritability. It is difficult for a person who has not had enough sleep to plan his actions, so often, instead of doing the most necessary things and going to bed, he stays late doing unimportant things, for example, “hanging out” on social networks. In addition, insufficient sleep negatively affects health, leading over time to the development of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and diabetes. Insufficient sleep can lead to decreased lactation.

Lack of maternal sleep is one of the risk factors for the development of postpartum depression, as well as the deterioration of the relationship between parents. Outbursts of irritation in young parents can lead to actions that are dangerous for the baby, for example, a mother may begin to shake the child vigorously in an attempt to rock him to sleep. Lack of sleep, according to US statistics, is the main reason parents cause physical harm to their child. The mother's sleep too deeply due to lack of sleep can lead to the fact that she may "sleep" the baby when sleeping together or not respond to his cry.

Even if it is possible to avoid such extremes, lack of sleep leads to a less sensitive attitude of the mother towards the child, a lack of strength, desire and opportunity to understand the colossal amount of information that now exists on the care and development of the baby. Therefore, as a sleep specialist, I encourage new parents to prioritize their sleep over the cleanliness of the apartment, a variety of food and developmental activities with the child. Remember: a well-rested, and therefore calm, satisfied and attentive mother and father - this is what the baby needs.

In what cases should you contact specialists and which ones?

If the problem is only a lack of time to sleep, then you should not turn to specialists, but to relatives and friends asking for help with household chores and, for example, taking a walk with your child. If the baby does not sleep well, falls asleep for a long time and with tears, often wakes up at night, or parents see that he does not get enough sleep and is therefore capricious and irritable all day, you should contact a child sleep consultant. If mom or dad fails to adjust their sleep to the current circumstances (frequent awakenings of the baby), or due to the burden of responsibility and a heap of additional responsibilities that have fallen on them, they experience sleep disturbances, that is, if they are ready to allocate enough time for sleep, but experience If you have difficulty falling asleep during the day and evening, can’t fall asleep for a long time after waking up at night, you should contact a specialist in sleep disorders in adults. Having worked as a sleep physician and having an insider's understanding of the health care system, I understand how difficult it can be for new parents to find a specialist who is willing to take the time to understand their sleep problems and has the knowledge and time to help solve them. Not all cities have somnologists, and parents usually don’t have time to come for a consultation. That's why I started working as a sleep consultant for adults. This allows me to meet people who need my help via the Internet, as well as choose a convenient support format for them in the form of repeated meetings or emails.

How can you help yourself? How to alleviate your own condition?

Make time for your sleep and don't forget how important it is. Listen to your body. Sleep is a natural biological process; you cannot force yourself to fall asleep, but you can create conditions for this, choose the moment when the body wants to sleep (you feel drowsy), go to bed and relax.

Is it true that over time the parent’s body adapts to the baby’s regime? So the lack of sleep is starting to be easier to bear?

Every body tries to adapt to lack of sleep. With deprivation, sleep becomes deeper and it takes less time to get enough sleep. In addition, the brain begins to integrate sleep in small pieces into wakefulness. Episodes of “microsleep” occur when the brain briefly switches off. Sleep deprivation does not become easier to bear - on the contrary, the negative health consequences only increase with longer duration of sleep deprivation. Over time, parents' irritation and fatigue increase.

Is there a connection between lack of sleep and mood? In English there is an expression “baby blues” - a depressed emotional state after the birth of a baby. Is this inevitable?

Yes, such a connection exists. Long-term lack of sleep can lead to anxiety and depression, not only in everyday terms, but also as a medical diagnosis. Postpartum depression, more or less pronounced, is, unfortunately, a common occurrence. But not every mother suffers from it. She has many reasons. Physical – changes in hormone levels, restructuring of many body systems after childbirth, discomfort due to complications of childbirth or problems with breastfeeding. And emotional ones - associated with a change in relationship with a spouse, a colossal responsibility falling on the shoulders of the mother. Insufficient sleep is an important factor in the development of postpartum depression. Scientific research shows that insufficient sleep in new mothers, whether associated or not with sleep problems in children, increases the likelihood of developing this condition and its severity. Insufficient sleep during pregnancy has also been shown to lead to a greater risk of developing postpartum depression.

Is it possible to somehow prepare for the postpartum period and do something to make this time easier for yourself?

It is possible and necessary. Prepare as much as possible for the birth of your baby. Study the information on child care, pay special attention to sleep - most problems and questions in the first months of a baby’s life are related to his sleep and food. Make as many preparations as possible (repairs, buying things, etc.) before the baby is born. Don't think that after giving birth you will have time for this. Create the most comfortable emotional environment in the family. I also advise you to familiarize yourself with the rules of healthy sleep for adults, follow them during pregnancy and remember them after. Get enough sleep after giving birth. Remember its important role!

Why don't we get enough sleep?

A huge number of people do not understand how much sleep deprivation affects our consciousness and psychological health. We often think that adequate sleep is an unaffordable luxury that can only be enjoyed on weekends or during the holiday period. But, in reality, sleep is needed in order to spend your day rationally, remember information normally, concentrate, work and study.

1. Complications from lack of sleep

Lack of sleep makes our thoughts slower, greatly reduces concentration - this leads to low performance and problems with solving logical problems. In addition, a person cannot make the right decisions, because it becomes much more difficult for him to normally assess the situation happening around him.

1. Lack of sleep impairs memory.

Researchers think that the neural connections needed to remember information are developed during sleep. Different stages of sleep play a role during memorization of information. If sleep is short or its cycle is regularly interrupted, memory deteriorates, attention and concentration decrease. These processes seriously affect the memory process as a whole.

1. With a lack of sleep, the ability to learn decreases, concentration weakens, problems arise with identifying the necessary information, memory deterioration also develops, the person interacts poorly with others, and the inability to assimilate new information material develops. In childhood, lack of sleep can cause too much activity - this also disrupts learning and attention.

Types of condition

Deprivation can be considered a complete or partial lack of sleep in a person. If you do not sleep at all or at the wrong time, or night rest does not satisfy the body's needs, we can confidently say that this condition exists.

For the purposeful expansion of consciousness or the treatment of depressive syndromes, three main types of DS are used, each of which has its own specific characteristics. Let's get to know them better:

1. Total DS. Consists of continuous wakefulness for 36-40 hours. The person sleeps well the day before the experiment, then he does not sleep during the day, all night and the next day. This technique is quite complex and can lead to completely unpredictable consequences. To achieve positive results in the treatment of total depression, you need to practice the condition 2 times in the first week, and then 1 time for 4-6 weeks.
2. Partial deprivation. The technique is based on a critical reduction in the amount of sleep, nightly rest lasts no more than 3-4 hours, after which the person must wake up and remain awake. Gradually, the body gets used to this state; for some, the feeling of weakness after reducing rest sessions disappears on the 4th day, but sometimes it takes several weeks to achieve the desired result.
3. Deprivation of the REM stage. The REM stage is also called rapid eye movement or paradoxical sleep; it is during it that the highest brain activity is recorded. The purpose of deprivation is to deprive a person of this stage. The technique is carried out using an electroencephalogram, which records all changes in the human body during a night's rest. As soon as the devices signal that the REM phase has begun, the patient is woken up. After this, he falls asleep again, short-term awakenings during REM sleep continue throughout the night. The effectiveness of this technique is higher than the previous two, but it is much more difficult to implement, since it requires special equipment and the involvement of somnologists in the process.