The amount of sleep debt a person experiences before becoming vulnerable to the effects of sleep deprivation also varies from one person to the next. Typically, older adults are less prone to sleep deprivation while children and young adults are more susceptible to it.

The effects of severe sleep loss can decrease a person’s overall quality of life and cause difficulties in a person’s ability to function every day.

How Many People are Sleep Deprived in America?

The statistics give us a pretty good picture of just how tired we are as a nation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 3 three adults don’t get the minimum recommended 7 hours of sleep, essentially one third of our country.

In addition, there are now 80 different sleep disorders being treated regularly at sleep clinics all over the United States. A 2013 National Gallup Poll found people were sleeping on average about 6.8 hours a night and an estimated 70 million adults have some form of sleep disorder.These numbers may not mean much until you understand that sleep deprivation has serious consequences. Sleep deprivation:

• Is responsible for about 20 percent of all motor vehicle crashes.
• Is across the board lowering job performance and academic performance from preschool through graduate school.
• Affects physical health and adds to the rising cost of healthcare.
• Has a profound effect on mental health increasing your chances of depression and anxiety and further adding to the nationwide mental health crisis.

Sleep is so vital to good functioning that to say 30 percent of the population isn’t getting enough sleep is like saying 1 out of every 3 people you pass on the street is struggling to function. Not an optimal way to be living.

We are also spending like crazy trying to solve the problem. Estimates are in the neighborhood of 52 billion dollars, that will be spent on sleep products in 2020. These include sleep apps, sleep sensors, better mattresses, white noise machines, aromatherapy diffusers, sleep medications, books on sleep, and sleep aids like pillows, eye covers, room darkening curtains and more. Sleep remedies have become a big business in the United States in response to the growing epidemic of sleep deprived individuals.

Read More: Sleep Deprivation Statistics

Short-Term Effects of Sleep Deprivation

The impact of poor sleep patterns paired with less sleep time each night presents the body with a variety of symptoms and long-term effects. The most prevalent symptom of sleep deprivation is excessive daytime sleepiness. In addition to this, the symptoms of sleep deprivation include:

• Anxiety and depression
• Irritability and moodiness
• Clumsiness and a higher risk for serious accidents
• A slower reaction time
• Learning and memory impairments
• Lack of concentration
• Increased appetite with carbohydrate cravings
• Reduced sex drive

It is very common for those who are sleep-deprived to be involved in work-related accidents, as well as car accidents caused by falling asleep behind the wheel. This is because sleep deprivation makes it difficult for a person to stay awake consistently during the day.

As little as one night of sleep deprivation can cause a person to experience “microsleeps,” a phenomenon that causes a person’s brain to fall asleep for short periods of time that last up to 30 seconds in length. This can be incredibly dangerous for those who are operating heavy equipment, including driving your vehicle.

Long-Term Effects of Sleep Deprivation

“While the short-term effects of sleep deprivation may seem harmless, long-term sleep deprivation can be dangerous and harmful to your health,” says Dr. Peña-Hernández. “The long-term effects of sleep deprivation can include weight gain, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hormonal imbalances, and even effects on the brain.”

On a long-term basis, sleep-deprived people oftentimes experience health risks that can escalate to issues as serious as an increased risk of early death. This is due to the primary long-term effects of sleep deprivation which include a weakened immune system, risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.

Immune System Upset

An inability to get a good night’s rest consistently prevents the body from boosting its immune system and producing the cytokines needed to fight infections. This may cause a person to experience longer recovery time when they become sick, as well as cause a greater risk for chronic illnesses.

Weight Gain, Obesity, and Diabetes

Sleep deprivation can impact body weight on a grand scale. The two hormones that control hunger and feeling full—leptin and ghrelin—are impacted by sleep. Without proper sleep time, these hormones become irregulated, leading to weight gain. Sleep deprivation also causes insulin to be released in the body which is responsible for an increase in fat storage. This can lead to type 2 diabetes.

Cardiovascular Disease

When we sleep, the heart vessels rebuild, heal, and maintain blood pressure, sugar levels, and control for inflammation. When we don’t get enough sleep this upsets the balance in the heart and puts us at a 48% increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

Hormonal Imbalances

Hormones are also produced while we sleep, so when we aren’t getting enough of it our hormonal levels can become imbalanced. This includes an increase in stress hormones and impacts on the production of growth hormones and testosterone in men.

Effects on the Brain

Sleep deprivation can also age the brain an average of 3-5 years. Some of the more severe effects of a lack of sleep on the brain include hallucinations and false memories. One study showed that laboratory animals who were forced into sleep deprivation experienced fatal results. This is difficult for humans, however, as we will typically fall asleep before facing fatal consequences that aren’t related to accidents.

Heart Health

Sleep deprivation had been shown to affect the heart both directly and indirectly.

Direct Impacts of Sleep Deprivation

Chronic lack of sleep is strongly linked to certain disorders of the heart like hypertension (HT), coronary heart disease (CHD), and heart failure (HF) from diabetes mellitus. Directly, a lack of sleep results in high blood pressure, which will manifest the next day and is usually accompanied by elevated nervous system activity as well.

Blood pressure naturally falls at night as part of healthy heart regulation. With shortened or interrupted sleep, the heart may not have enough time at the lowered level it needs to ensure proper functioning. In simple terms, the heart rests while you sleep, and it needs enough rest in order to be healthy.

Indirect Impacts of Sleep Deprivation

There are other ways that sleep deprivation can indirectly affect heart health. It is a contributing factor in obesity and type II diabetes, which can both promote heart disease. Lack of sleep alters hormones which can influence both cortisol levels and the part of the brain that controls hunger. These changes in hormone level may result in insulin resistance which can develop into type II diabetes or contribute directly to weight gain.

Further, lowered sleep amounts can result in larger amounts of plaque in the arteries. Both too much sleep and too little sleep can cause higher levels of calcium, one of the primary ingredients, along with fat and cholesterol, that deposit themselves in the blood vessels making plaque. This plaque can lead to cardiovascular disease through the narrowing or blockage of blood vessels.

Causes of Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation has a variety of causes—some are within a person’s control, and others are not.

When a person voluntarily deprives oneself of sleep on a regular basis this is known as behaviorally induced insufficient sleep syndrome, which is a form of hypersomnia. It must happen on an almost daily basis for three months or longer at a time. A person may also become sleep-deprived due to an involuntary sleep disorder or medical problem that is either physical or mental.

Alternative sleeping schedules can also lead to sleep deprivation. Because of this, shift workers are highly susceptible to experiencing sleep deprivation and sleep disorders associated with it. Even non-shift workers can experience these issues.

Consistently being woken up in the middle of the night for any reason could contribute to the issue. There may also be personal obligations that restrict the amount of time a person is able to sleep, such as taking care of family members or providing home care for someone who is sick.

Those who are at the highest risk for sleep deprivation include teenagers, caregivers, military personnel, shift workers, those who suffer from sleep disorders, and those with various medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease that cause sleep difficulties.

Treatment for Sleep Deprivation

“Sleep deprivation can be treated with a variety of methods including lifestyle modifications and even medications in select cases,” says Dr. Peña-Hernández.

There are a variety of therapeutic interventions that have been found to be viable treatment options for sleep deprivation. These include fixing your sleep hygiene, practicing relaxation techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and stimulation control.