Overall Argument: Sleep is critical for both personal and professional success.

Sleep and Well Being

- Sleep allows for our brain to cleanse the toxins that come from being awake from our
brain and allow us to recover

Quality of Life:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11136-009-9462-6
- Data used from 2005 US National Health and Wellness Survey
- correlation of experiencing insomnia and decreased quality of life
- Respondents with insomnia had survey physical component summary scores that
were 5.4 points lower and mental component summary scores that were 4.4 points
lower than the non insomnia group out of 50 total points.
- The study demonstrates that there is a decreased quality of life for those who face
insomnia and poor sleep hygiene.

Sleep and Mental Health + Mental Disorders:

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mental-health
- “During sleep, the brain works to evaluate and remember thoughts and memories, and it
appears that a lack of sleep is especially harmful to the consolidation of positive
emotional content. This can influence mood and emotional reactivity and is tied to mental
health disorders and their severity, including the risk of suicidal ideas or behaviors.”
- The Sleep Foundation elaborates that “Sufficient sleep, especially REM sleep, facilitates
the brain’s processing of emotional information.”
- With a lack of sleep, individuals face difficulty and hindrance in consolidating positive
memories which inherently leads to poor mood. As such, all stages of sleep are required
to improve one’s mood and provide for positivity in the mental state that someone has
during the day.
- Obstructive sleep apnea is an aspect of sleep that is linked to one’s mental health.
- The disorder involves, “pauses in breathing during sleep and a reduction in the
body’s oxygen levels, creating fragmented and disturbed sleep”
- This occurs frequently in people with psychiatric conditions and increases risk of
mental distress and deterioration of physical health
Mental Disorders:
- Depression
- “Around 75% of depressed people show symptoms of insomnia8, and many
people with depression also suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness and
hypersomnia, which is sleeping too much”
- “growing evidence suggests that poor sleep may induce or exacerbate depression”
- Sleep deprivation and depression are mutually reinforcing and there exists a
bidirectional relationship between sleep problems and depressive symptoms
 - This is especially prevalent for people facing Seasonal Affective Disorder
- “people with seasonal affective disorder tend to sleep too much or
too little or experience changes to their sleep cycles”
- Anxiety Disorders
- “Worry and fear contribute to a state of hyperarousal in which the mind is racing,
and hyperarousal is considered to be a central contributor to insomnia. Sleep
problems may become an added source of worry, creating anticipatory anxiety”
- The vicious cycle is never ending and leads to consistent worry and
intensification of anxiety and further sleep problems
- PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) → “People with PTSD frequently replay
negative events in their mind, suffer from nightmares, and experience a state of
being on alert, all of which can interfere with sleep.”

Sleep Strengthens The Immune System:

https://www.uchealth.com/en/media-room/covid-19/better-sleep-habits-to-strengthen-immunity#:
~:text=When%20we%20sleep%2C%20our%20bodies,disease%20such%20as%20COVID%2D1
9.
- “When we sleep, our bodies produce a protein called cytokines, which target infection
and inflammation, creating an immune response. Our bodies also produce T-cells during
sleep, which are white blood cells that play a critical role in our body’s immune response
to an infectious disease”

Consequences of sleep deprivation:

https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/sleep.htm
- Obesity
- “Lack of sleep can lead to unhealthy weight gain. This is especially true for
children and adolescents, who need more sleep than adults. Not getting enough
sleep may affect a part of the brain that controls hunger.”
- High Blood Pressure
- With about 1 in 3 adults having high blood pressure, this is a pressing issue in our
society that must be understood and avoid being overlooked
- “During normal sleep, your blood pressure goes down. Having sleep
problems means your blood pressure stays higher for a longer period of
time. High blood pressure is one of the leading risks for heart disease and
stroke.”
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/sleep-disorders/sleep-and-heart-health
- “People with common sleeping disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea or insomnia
also are far more likely to have heart arrhythmias, plaque buildup, heart failure and
coronary artery disease than the general public.”
 - “Evidence is mounting that neurological sleep disorders such as restless leg syndrome,
which affects 7% to 10% of Americans, may increase the risk of heart disease, although
more research is needed to better understand the connection.”

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/06/05/the-dangers-of-sleep-deprivation
- “Just one night of sleep deprivation can lead to accumulation in the brain of the beta
amyloid protein, a key component in risk for Alzheimer's disease, according to a 2018
study.”

Sleep and sex drive:

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/sex-sleep#:~:text=Sleep%20deprivation%20has
%20been%20associated,risk%20of%20erectile%20dysfunction9.
- “Sleep deprivation has been associated with reduced sexual desire and arousal8 in
women. As a result, insomnia, one of the most common sleep disorders, may be a risk
factor for sexual dysfunction. A lack of sleep and disrupted sleep have also been linked to
a higher risk of erectile dysfunction”
- Poor sleep can also lead to emotional and relationship problems which in turn harm
sexual health. Conflicts with a partner are more likely when sleep is overlooked and leads
to further stress, lower intimacy, and takes away from a strong and happy sex life.

Less Sleep and dangers:

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/happens-body-dont-get-enough-sleep/#:~:text=Some%20of%2
0the%20most%20serious,function%20and%20lower%20sex%20drive.
- Significantly lower alertness → “Even missing as little as 1.5 hours can have an impact
on how you feel.”
- Car accidents → “Drowsy driving accounts for thousands of crashes, injuries and
fatalities each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.”
- More likelihood of sleepiness during the day which ties into the next Research Arc
focusing on productivity and how sleep plays a role in your professional success. This
also leads to potential lower self worth as people often feel as though they wasted their
day when they have excessive daytime sleep.