Swallows 1

Ellaina Swallows

English 1201

Professor Cassel

14 May 2020

Sleep & Mental Illness

“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise”, Poor Richard’s

Almanac. Sleep is a basic necessity of life. In today’s society, we use our cherished nocturnal

hours for daytime activities. Sleep deprivation is one of the most common problems in the

United States. It is believed that, unlike insomnia, which is defined as a regular lack of sleep, a

couple of sleepless nights now and then will not cause much harm. Unfortunately, this is not

true--being awake for 24 hours even once for a long period of time has unpleasant effects on

one’s mental health. Lack of sleep is a reoccurring issue that is not cautioned enough in today’s

society. A sleep-deprived person may deal with short and long term effects and also may be at

risk for multiple disorders that affect their daily routines. Sleep deprivation has a vital impact on

cognitive, behavioral, physiological, and emotional aspects. This disorder also plays a vital role

in public health and affects everyday life.

Sleep loss negatively impacts the body’s functions in a variety of ways. This includes

physical (altering neuroendocrine function and weight) (Mellor 2020), and psychiatric (increase

risk of suicide or suicidal attempts and thoughts, depression, and PTSD) health (Mellor 2020).

Even at less pathological levels, sleep loss has significant effects on cognition. However, those

effects are complicated and depend on certain factors. For example, in some cases, the brain

responds to sleep deprivation with an unpleasant response, where additional cognitive measures

are employed, resulting in a fairly unimpaired performance. In other contexts, others may find a
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decline in cerebral response connected with impaired performance. Some studies explain why

cognitive performance is vulnerable to prolonged wakefulness. These theories are divided into

two main approaches: sleep deprivation (SD) is assumed to have (1) general effects on alertness

and attention, (2) or have selective effects on certain brain structures and functions (Mellor

2020). This is also known as the ‘sleep-based neuropsychological perspective’. Recovery sleep is

distinguishable from normal sleep.

Psychological and psychosocial factors have contributed significantly to the

understanding of sleep quality (Bakalar 2019). Scientific studies have emphasized the

importance of evaluating the influence of stress on the processes concerning the proper

functioning of sleep (Bakalar 2019), given that it is an essential part of health. It was found that

there are links between sleep disturbance and poor health outcomes in older adults, including

falls, psychiatric symptoms, and cognitive impairment. After understanding the importance of

stress and sleep quality for health, conducting a review of these experimental studies

demonstrates the importance of this topic. Stress can lead to negative health results such as

increasing the likelihood of cardiovascular disease, directly affecting the nervous system and

increasing the possibility of risk behaviors. Risk behaviors are certain actions that can cause an

individual to be more susceptible to illness. Smoking and alcoholism are a few of these actions

that result in a poor quality of sleep (Bakalar 2019). Most people do not think about the long

term effects of not getting the correct amount of sleep needed to function properly. Evidence has

shown that sleep deprivation significantly affects one’s physical health, as well as its effect on

the risk of developing future mental illnesses.

Good quality sleep helps us think clearly, remember information, and make decisions.

When we don’t get enough quality sleep, it impairs our “executive function” set of abilities.
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According to Sleep Foundation, it’s estimated that “about one in three American adults does not

get sufficient sleep on a regular basis.”Poor sleep habits may result in severe sleep disorders like

obstructive sleep apnea. There are several types of sleep apnea, but obstructive sleep apnea is the

most common. This type of apnea is a serious sleep disorder. It causes breathing to repeatedly

stop and start during sleep. A sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring. Sleep impacts our

critical thinking abilities, for example, lack of sleep makes it harder to focus and pay attention.

This affects school performance and job productivity. Lack of sleep slows the brain’s reaction

time, making driving and other safety-related activities at work and at home dangerous. Sleep

provides creativity and generates new ideas. Research shows that we need good sleep to feed our

high-level, innovative thinking, and problem-solving abilities. During sleep, memories are

reactivated, connections between brain cells are strengthened, and information is transferred

from short to long-term. Without enough quality sleep, individuals become more forgetful.

Studies suggest that sleeping shortly after we learn new information helps us retain and recall

that information later.

According to The National Institute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke, “During sleep,

we usually pass through 4 phases of sleep: stages 1, 2, 3, and REM sleep.” Stage 1 is the lightest

stage of sleep. Muscle tone throughout the body relaxes and the individual’s brain wave activity

begins to slow down. Occasionally, people may experience hypnic jerks, which are abrupt

muscle spasms. One may also experience weird sensations. The sensation of falling while

drifting in and out of sleep occurs in the middle of stage 1. During this time, one may have a

sudden dream onset, which can be compared to a trailer to a movie, or a short preview of a film.

While someone drifts off to sleep, they may still feel aware of their surroundings and can easily

be woken. Stage 2 is what is defined as light sleep. The body’s heart rate slows and its
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temperature drops. This stage lasts about half the entirety of sleep. There is evidence that light-

sleep is important to boost the ability to learn. This is the stage when the body begins preparing

for deep sleep. Stage 3 is the regenerative period where the body starts to heal and repair itself

from the previous day’s stress. It is much harder to awaken during this stage. If someone were to

wake an individual, the person would feel disoriented and may take a while to regain full

consciousness. Parasomnias like sleepwalking, sleep talking, and night terrors occur during this

stage of sleep. This is the stage that one needs to feel refreshed the next morning.

During the deep stages 1, 2, 3, and 4, the body repairs and regrows tissues, builds bone

and muscle and strengthens the immune system. Breathing, heart rate, body temperature, and

brain waves reach their lowest levels. This could be compared to being in a coma. These stages

are very important to a growing body and brain. The human brain is not fully developed until age

25, therefore, anyone that does not correctly prioritize their sleep schedule significantly risks

their mental health. The last stage, REM, or rapid eye movement, usually happens 90 minutes

after one falls asleep. During this stage, heart rate and breathing quicken which burns calories.

This leads to the physical importance of the REM stage. REM sleep is also important to one’s

sleep cycle because it stimulates the areas of the brain that are essential in learning as well as

making or retaining memories.

Unhealthy sleep cycles are considered an individual problem, but it’s also a public health

issue. Pulling an “all-nighter” is very common, especially among college or high school students

as well as responsible workers and workaholics who spend sleepless nights working on their

tasks or homework. Being sleep deprived on the job can have a vital impact on how well workers

can do their job. A study at Marshall University in 2013 examined the effects of partial sleep
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deprivation on productivity. It included a non-random sample of thirty participants. All

participants were employed and maintained a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Participants were

asked to keep a sleep journal recording behaviors that could possibly affect sleep. Participants

were also asked to complete an analytical questionnaire and a task log sheet. The percent of tasks

completed daily on the task log sheet was calculated to represent the productivity level. The

results revealed a “higher mean productivity rating for individuals who slept more than nine

hours” (Mellor 2013). The second highest mean productivity rating was for individuals who slept

less than five hours. The two negative relationships found that levels of productivity included

nighttime awakenings and the self-perception of an individual’s mood in the morning. This

suggests that as the number of nocturnal awakening increases, the productivity levels decrease. It

also implied that the more an individual feels fatigued in the morning, the lower the productivity

level is during the day (Mellor 2013).

Daytime sleepiness has been associated with increased risk of motor vehicle accidents,

worse physical health, and increased mortality risk. A National Sleep Foundation poll found that

nearly one-third of drivers said they have nodded off or fallen asleep while driving. According to

the National Department of Transportation updated in 2019, “1,550 deaths and over 40,000

injuries in the United States annually are due to sleepy drivers”. In addition to the numerous

traffic accidents, poor sleep reduces labor productivity and can increase costly mistakes at work

and at home. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) uncovered research showing that rotating

shifts and sleep deprivation leads to mistakes, dips in attention, delayed reactions, accidents in

the workplace, crashes on the roadways, reduced productivity, and difficulties in communication.

The NSF conducted a poll in March 2018 which looked at the relationship between Americans’

lifestyles, sleep habits, and sleep problems. According to the poll, the majority of American
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adults do not get the recommended eight hours of sleep needed for good health, safety, and

excellent performance. In fact, “nearly one-third report sleeping less than seven hours each

weeknight” (NSF).

The implications of sleep deprivation dive deeper into financial impacts. Lower

productivity levels and the higher risk of fatality resulting from sleep deprivation have a

significant effect on a nation’s economy.

According to NCBI, sleep deprivation

increases the risk of mortality by 13% and

leads to the U.S. losing around 1.2 million

working days a year. Calculations revealed

that increasing nightly sleep from under six

hours to between six and seven hours could

add $226.4 billion to the U.S. economy.

According to NCBI, a new report found that

a lack of sleep among the U.S. working population is costing the economy up to $411 billion a

year in 2020. This makes the U.S. sustain the highest economic losses, followed by Japan. The

NSF poll revealed, due to society’s 24-hour operations, “many adults say they now spend more

time at work and less time sleeping. More than one-third responded that they are working fifty

hours or more a week”. The NSF reported that decreased productivity and accidents in the

workplace cost the nation $150 billion a year.

The amount of sleep needed to function properly is dependent on age. According to The

National Sleep Foundation 2019, “Studies confirm that on average, adults need at least 7 to 9

hours of sleep to complete all stages of sleep.” Aging is associated with changes in both
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subjective sleep quality and objective sleep measures. Studies indicate a positive correlation

between age and the currency of insomnia complaints (Buysse 2012). Also, after further

research, newborns 1 to 2 months old need 14-18 hours, infants 3-11 months old need 13-16

hours, toddlers and children need around 11 hours, and teens need 9-10 hours. These variations

of recommended hours of sleep are necessary for the growth and repairs that the brain and body

need. Neither can be obtained if the individual is always awake. The Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention, states that “50-70 million U.S citizens have been recorded to have sleep

deprivation, or lack of sleep, caused by various reasons.” Various, meaning that the lack of sleep

could be anything from a medical problem to self-inflicted sleep deprivation. Sleep disturbances

are highly common in older adults. According to the NCBI, “Nearly 70% of elders report

problems with their sleep, and 32% to 45% report difficulty falling asleep or maintaining sleep.

Additionally, almost 40% of older adults have obstructive sleep apnea.”

Today’s society holds many other factors pertaining to stress caused by sleep deprivation.

Sociologists recognize how social ties affect health behaviors but have overall neglected sleep

among teens. Social scientists have demonstrated that one’s social relations determine health-

related behaviors, mostly among adults, including sleep. However, there is a variety of research

on the social determinants of changes in youths’ sleep. Studies show that close ties to others have

beneficial effects on physical health, lowering heart rates, blood pressure, and levels of stress

(Mellor 2020). This is given that sleep researchers found that stress and elevated heart rates

interfere with sleep. Besides being emotionally sustaining, relationships have a “dark side,” in

that ties with others can be stressful, worrisome, and overloaded with conflict. This increases

stress and physiological arousal that would interfere with sleep particularly if stressful ties

multiply in youths’ lives (Mellor 2020). Much research has focused on changes in family
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structure with teens using substances to reduce the stress of family problems due to death or

divorce. Teens also suffer more stress and use more substances when a parent remarries (Mellor

2020).

Social media was designed so that society could stay in contact with each other through a

cell phone or laptop. It is used by people of all ages around the world. However, it has negative

side effects when it is time to sleep. On one hand, sleep researchers recognize that networking

with friends is a factor that leads to later bedtimes on school nights, as well as watching

television and using the computer (Mellor 2020). Medical case reports implicate interest in social

media in regards to sleep. Teens network on the computer and watch television on most nights

and get insufficient sleep as a result (Mellor 2020). Although social media can be a factor of

sleep deprivation, having friendships are required for mental health. Social science research

shows that having supportive friends reduces depression and other emotional problems, would

presumably increase teens’ likelihood of sleeping well.

Aside from the proven statistics from studies on sleep deprivation and well-being, some

have a contrasting view on sleep and its importance. It is a common belief that every hour slept

through is an hour not spent at work or school and every hour spent sleeping is an hour that

could have been spent doing anything else. This argument can be true, however, the issue is that

those making this argument are neglecting to consider the negative effects of sleep deprivation.

Sacrificing needful sleep for other pursuits carries too many negative factors to make a

worthwhile trade.

Kate Porcheret, an associate of Russell Foster, has done studies that link sleep

deprivation to an inability to recall memories (Wolf-Meyer 2010). Poor memory doesn’t sound

like a reason to skip out on sleep, but there is a potential application for this knowledge in
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assisting those with post-traumatic stress. Russell Foster (2010) explains, “What one normally

does with post-traumatic stress is encourage them to sleep and what that will do is, it seems,

consolidate the memories of these unpleasant events rather than help the brain forget them.” This

argument shows that in certain conditions, getting insufficient sleep may be more desirable than

a full night’s rest. However, it is important to note that this is not a suggestion aimed at the

majority of the population. The arguments being fully rested come as a matter of personal

opinion. They are based on balancing the body’s need for sleep and the other demands of life.

Sleep is a vital and complex physiological process that each individual needs to survive.

In fact, according to The National Association of Science 2019, “Sleep deprivation can cause

severe cases of anxiety and can also lead to insomnia.” Without sleep, the human brain is unable

to work to the best of its abilities. Scientists can’t discover new things, peoples’ mental state

begins to deteriorate, and people that work 9 to 5 jobs could go mentally insane. Today, society’s

demands that everyone experiences, generally from social and organizational contexts, have

resulted in high levels of stress and poor sleep quality. Furthermore, biological disorders

contribute to an increase in the number of diseases associated with sleep quality. Studies have

established that sleep plays a vital part in psychiatric conditions. Sleep deprivation has a vital

impact on cognitive, behavioral, physiological, and emotional aspects. This disorder also plays a

vital role in public health and affects everyday life. Lack of sleep is a reoccurring issue

throughout the world that is not cautioned enough in today’s society. Therefore, listening to the

facts and providing the body with optimal rest can result in improved health all around.
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Works Cited

Bakalar, Nicholas. “Sleep Apnea Tied to Mood Disorders.” New York Times, 1 Oct.

2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/24/well/mind/sleep-apnea-depression-

anxiety.html?searchResultPosition=9. Accessed 13 Apr. 2020.

Currin, Andrew. “Drowsy Driving.” NHTSA, 22 July 2019, www.nhtsa.gov/risky-

driving/drowsy-driving. Accessed 13 May 2020

“Economic Burden of Undiagnosed Sleep Apnea in the U.S. Is Nearly $150B.” American

Academy of Sleep Medicine – Association for Sleep Clinicians and Researchers, 8 Nov.

2017, aasm.org/economic-burden-of-undiagnosed-sleep-apnea-in-u-s-is-nearly-150b-per-

year/. Accessed 14 May 2020.

“How Lack of Sleep Impacts Cognitive Performance and Focus.” National Sleep

Foundation, 14 Nov. 2016, www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-lack-sleep-impacts-

cognitive-performance-and-focus. Accessed 13 May 2020.

Mellor, David, et al. “Sleep‐competing Behaviours among Australian School‐attending

Youth: Associations with Sleep, Mental Health and Daytime Functioning.” International

Journal of Psychology, vol. 55, no. 1, Feb. 2020, pp. 13–21. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s3h&AN=141076127&site=eds-live.

Accessed 13 Apr. 2020.

Wolf-Meyer, Matthew. “Natural Hegemonies: Sleep and the Rhythms of American

Capitalism.” Current Anthropology, University of Chicago Press Journals, 31 Dec. 2010,

www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/662550. Accessed 13 May 2020.