Chronic sleep deprivation is sleep deprivation over a long period of time. It can have catastrophic effects on health and performance in all areas of life, and should be taken very seriously. Sleep deprivation is caused by – you guessed it – not getting enough sleep. “Enough sleep” will be different for different ages and individuals, but the point is, if you aren’t getting the sleep you need you will become sleep deprived. Are you getting enough sleep?
Chronic sleep deprivation is frustrating, and even debilitating. It involves long periods - weeks or months - of less than adequate sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation can take a toll on one’s body, mind, and life. If you have been living with chronic sleep deprivation, you likely hardly need to be told this. The important questions are, what are the consequences of untreated sleep deprivation, and what can you do about it?
How has your sleep been the past few days, weeks, and months? If it’s like most people, you are not getting the right amount of sleep you need every day – about 7 hours or more (for adults) depending on your unique needs. There are many potential reasons why you aren’t getting enough sleep, which we outline below. Identifying the cause or causes of your sleep deprivation is the most critical step in getting back to healthy sleeping.
Sleep deprivation is exactly what it sound like: when you are deprived of sleep. Sleep deprivation can be long term, “chronic” sleep deficiency. It can be short-term, “acute” sleep deficiency. Regardless of whether you have acute or chronic sleep deprivation, it can make life miserable for yourself, and those around you. Ask yourself, did you get enough sleep this week?
Chronic fatigue will ruin your quality of life. If you are currently dealing with chronic fatigue, this point hardly needs more attention. The real question for people who deal with chronic fatigue is: why?
Clinical depression is a mood disorder that causes you to feel helpless, apathetic to your life and outcomes, hopeless, numb, or sad, among other things. It can make it hard to get out bed in the morning, feel excited about things that are happening in your life, or cause you to distance yourself from friends and loved ones.
Sleep deprivation is the chronic condition of not receiving adequate sleep. Adequate sleep will differ from person to person, and change as we age. Most of us suffer from sleep deprivation because we either have trouble staying asleep, or getting to sleep. Does that sound familiar?
The sleep deprivation cycle is the cycle that many of us struggle with chronically – being sleep deprived for days followed by sleep binging, which leads to staying up later and being sleep deprived again. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle. Does it sound familiar? Are you always wasting your weekend catching up on sleep?
One of the greatest risks of having an untreated sleep disorder is the prospect of getting into a car crash while fatigued. Many individuals who have sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, or restless leg syndrome experience bouts of drowsy driving. In fact, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that drowsy driving is related to more than 1,500 deaths per year and at least 100,000 motor-vehicle crashes.
