4 Ways a Lack of Sleep Makes Your Mind Act Crazy
Lack of Sleep can affect the Mind.
Not getting enough sleep can impact your judgment, work, or school performance, mood — and not in a good way
Good sleep is linked to better cognition, alertness, and emotional well-being. Most people need 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night to be at their best. A lack of sleep can hurt work or school performance, and lead to mood problems like anger and depression.
Sleep actually improves learning, memory, and insight. The body is literally repairing and restoring itself during sleep. Without it, you can’t do what you want — physically or mentally.
People who are sleep deprived often say they feel “foggy.” Here are some reasons why.
1. Sleepiness slows down your thought processes.
Scientists measuring sleepiness have found that sleep deprivation leads to lower alertness and concentration. It’s more difficult to focus and pay attention, so you’re more easily confused. This hampers your ability to perform tasks that require logical reasoning or complex thought.
Sleepiness also impairs judgment. Making decisions is more difficult because you can’t assess situations as well and pick the right behavior.
2. Excessive sleepiness impairs memory.
Research suggests that the nerve connections that make our memories are strengthened during sleep.
Different phases of sleep play different roles in consolidating new information into memories. If your sleep is cut short or disrupted, it interferes with this process.
3. Poor Sleep makes Learning harder.
Sleep deprivation affects your ability to learn in two ways. Because you can’t focus as well, it’s more difficult to pick up information, so you can’t learn efficiently. It also affects memory retention, which is essential to learning.
Teens especially can lose the focus and memory capacity to perform well in school when they don't get enough sleep.
4. Slowed Reaction Time
Sleepiness can dull your senses making your reaction time slower, a particular problem when driving, at work or doing other tasks that require a quick response.
Do yourself a favor — think twice before watching late night TV — Your mind and body will thank you — you can always record and watch later or on-demand :) You will most probably have a much, much better today.