Advanced sleep-phase syndrome

Being sleep deprived is detrimental to, health, wellness, and even progress; and because (statistically) there is an abundance of sleep deprivation in today’s society, everyone as a whole should work on getting more sleep at night. Many things can contribute to sleep-deprivation in this busy, fast-paced world.

The more common causes are usually based on time, distractions, or they are health related in the form of sleep-disorders. Sleep-disorders are also very common amongst people today. Insomnia is the most prevalent sleep complaint in the general population. It is defined by the inability to obtain sleep that is sufficiently long, or “ good enough” to result in feeling rested or restored the next day. There is evidence that untreated insomnia is a risk factor “ for the development of psychiatric problems such as depression or substance abuse. ” (Mallard & Science 1280) Other common sleep disorders are in the form of (Obstructive) Sleep Apneas, Narcolepsy, Restless Legs Syndrome, Circadian Rhythm disorders, Delayed Sleep Syndrome, and Advanced Sleep-Phase Syndrome. With all the technology and entertainment out there, who could possibly find mime for sleep? Sleep deprivation is a common condition that afflicts 47 million American adults, or almost a quarter of the population.

” (Sleep Deprivation 1 A) Cutting out entertainment time and filling it with sleeping time is what a lot of people should be working on during their every-day lives. People tend to look at sleep as an inconvenience nowadays. They usually have other obligations to focus on such as work or school, which are obviously way more important than sleep, right? As a matter of fact, those things are not more important than sleep itself.

Humans need sleep in order to function effectively. ” (Collisions 1). By not sleeping, a person is hurting themselves. When a person is sleep deprived, RASA functioning is depressed. The RASA (Reticular Activating System) is what stimulates the cerebral cortex (or the brain. ) If the cerebral cortex does not receive this stimulation, then it cannot function properly.

“ The cerebral cortex is the largest structure of the human brain and is the area in which all mental activities such as planning, analyzing, reasoning and decision-making occur. ” (Collisions 1)Not sleeping can bring on some serious physical effects. The basic effects of sleep deprivation can be remembered with the acronym HOMER: Hallucinations, omission, memory lapses, mood swings, attention deficits, and affected response time. These are only the basic effect though. Researchers found that people who sleep two to four hours a night are 73% more likely to become obese than those who get seven to nine hours.

Those who sleep five or more hours a night are 50% more likely to be obese. Lastly, those who get 10 or more hours are 11% less like likely to be obese.