JOIN USAll of us experience situations when we simply do not have enough time to finish all that is expected of us. At times like this, we imagine what difference an extra hour could make to our day. Since it is beyond human capability to stop time, we find that extra hour by doing what is in our hands - cutting down on sleep.
While initially it might seem like an inspired choice, allowing us to complete the tasks that would have been left incomplete, prolonged sleep deprivation can be extremely hazardous. Why, you might ask, after all, sleep is only eight wasted hours of essentially doing nothing! Hours which could be used for more useful pursuits, like studying, right?
Everything in the world requires rest; even machines and computers are switched off and restarted on a regular basis. Human body, being the most exquisite of machines created by nature, requires rebooting, too. During sleep, proteins called cytokines are released by the immune system in order to boost healing of an injury/inflammation, decrease stress levels and repair cell damage incurred during the day. A minimum of six to eight hours of sleep is recommended every day.
Missing out on sleep leads to a decreased production of these cytokines, which in turn hampers the body’s regenerative ability. Sleep-deprived people often complain of persistent drowsiness/tiredness, irritability, decreased ability to focus, frequent head/body aches, fogginess/amnesia and are also vulnerable to a host of medical problems like:
Weight gain and increased risk of
diabetes due to disrupted regulation of metabolism.
Increase in stress levels.
Increased risk of hypertension and heart diseases.
Weakened immune system.
Impaired memory and brain function/increased risk of dementia and amnesia. Depression, mood swings and other psychiatric disorders.
Various relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation and acupressure therapy could be used to help bring down the stress levels in students for a good night’s rest. Further, physical activities like exercising and running help expend extra energy to allow the body to shut down properly.
Reading a book, watching television or listening to soft music during bedtime often helps to unclutter the mind, allowing you to relax. In case you miss out on sleep during the night - exams tend to do that to most students - try power-napping during the day to catch up on missed sleep and keep up the energy levels.
(The author is senior consultant, psychiatry, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, Delhi)