Consequences of sleep deprivation

Students who get enough sleep can reap many benefits, but those who don’t may suffer serious consequences to their health and well-being. Sleep deprivation can have a dramatic impact on our mental health and mood, making us more prone to anti-social behaviour, anxiety and depression. Consequences of sleep deprivation include:

• Poor coordination: when sleep deprived, you’re not as alert or coordinated. This can lead to car collisions or negatively impact your athletic or academic performance. Research has shown that staying awake for 24 hours leads to a reduced hand-to-eye coordination that is similar to having a blood alcohol content of 0.1.
• Increased negative feelings, including suicide: insufficient sleep can increase our feelings of hopelessness and thoughts of suicide. Historically doctors have seen sleep disorders as a symptom of mental illness but research is indicating that sleep deprivation can be a risk for and directly contribute to the development of some mental illnesses such as depression.