Tired and Stupid: The Brain’s Response to Lack of Sleep
Okay, so maybe that title is a bit harsh, and even politically incorrect, but it certainly does not lack accuracy. If people only knew how bad sleep habits, lack of sleep and sleep disorders in general contributed to stupidity, they might actually stand up and take notice. That is if they are not too tired to do so. No doubt about it, we need sleep to stay healthy, and our mental faculties are part of that. If you want to operate at your peak performance, getting a good night’s sleep is the place to start.
How the brain repairs during sleep
Even though the brain is busy while we sleep, it does spend some time repairing itself. As we progress from wakefulness to non rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, which is the deepest part of our sleep, the brain’s activity slows down. During this period, firing of neurons takes on a more synchronized pattern, as opposed to one that was a bit random before. This gives the brain time to repair, and it also gives our immune system a boost. In the next sleep stage, rapid eye- movement sleep (REM), where we dream, it is now thought that the brain is possibly more active that it is when we are awake. That may seem not very restful, but believe it or not, REM sleep helps the brain organize our internal computer and improve our memory. Knowing what happens in each individual phase of sleep makes it very obvious why all of the sleep stages are very important.
When you don’t get enough
When we do not get enough sleep or suffer chronically from a sleep disorder that interrupts our progression through all of the sleep stages, possibly even preventing us from getting to one or more of them, we feel it. Missing one or two hours of sleep for just one night will not only reduce your energy level, it can decrease your brain power by one third. Lack of sleep does more damage than lack of food, and yet many of us never think twice about missing hours here and there. Our brain power depends on enough sleep and the complete progression through the sleep stages. Lying wide awake at night and feeling sleepy during the daytime because we are suffering from a sleep disorder takes more out of us than we realize. And, because it is so common, we all view it as normal everyday behavior on the planet we call Earth.
Behavior that benefits from sufficient sleep
We could use many adjectives to describe how we feel when we are tired and grumpy. And, it is even more obvious when we see it in someone else. Here are some behaviors that, like our brain power, require sleep to keep them in good shape. On top of that, when they are in good shape, we look and feel a lot less stupid.
- Decision making – We all know how excessive daytime sleepiness can cause accidents and work related injuries, especially if the sufferer actually falls asleep. However, more incidences are caused, less obviously, as a result of bad judgment and poor reaction time. Studies have shown that people who are lacking sleep take longer to respond and they make different decisions than they would if they were well rested. Even moral judgments can be influenced, and that could have quite an impact with people who are in a position of responsibility and also have the potential for being sleep-deprived.
- Memory – One of the most common symptoms of sleep disorders is memory lapses. At one time it was thought that REM sleep was not as valuable as deep sleep. Later research has led experts to believe that the dream stage is where memory gets improved. Studies have definitely concluded that memory is influenced by sleep, either insufficient or sufficient. Your memory, like your intelligence, can get affected by just a few hours of sleep debt.
- Concentration – Sleep and concentration are closely related. One of biggest complaints for people who have sleep apnea is that they cannot concentrate. When they are successfully fitted for a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, one of the first improvements is better concentration. If you are student, getting a good night’s sleep before a test will probably do more good than losing sleep while you cram information at the last minute.
- Communication – If you are too tired to think properly, don’t expect to communicate any more effectively. The desire to talk and what comes out of your mouth are influenced by your brain power and your judgments. Think about that in terms of your relationships. Makes you wonder how many unkind words are spoken as a result of a lack of sleep.
- Disposition – “Tired and grumpy” sound familiar? Do you ever have a shorter fuse? Imagine if the whole world got enough sleep. Without a doubt, we would witness a totally different experience. One thing for sure, we would all be smart enough to appreciate it!
Kids who are happy and smart
Good sleep habits need to start at an early age. Recent studies with children have revealed that kids with healthy sleep habits and sufficient sleep score much better on aptitude and IQ tests. There was a definite correlation between academic performance and habitual sleep duration. No matter how you think genetics factor in, if you teach your children to respect sleep, they will probably be less cranky and more intelligent.
Peak performance
Reaching a peak performance level does not just apply to athletes. Although, it is interesting that athletes are usually some of the most aware when it comes to understanding the value of sleep. We can all be peak performers regardless of our role in life, but only if we learn to respect sleep. With that respect and the development of better sleep habits we get the added benefit of being smarter, and that means we all win.
