What is Sleep Deprivation

• Definition: Sleep deprivation refers to a condition where an individual does not get enough quality sleep.
• Prevalence:
  • According to CDC, approximately 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. do not get enough sleep, defined as fewer than the recommended 7–9 hours per night for adults. (https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data-research/facts-stats/adults-sleep-facts-and-stats.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data-and-statistics/Adults.html)
  • Among college students, approximately 50% experience daytime sleepiness, and 70% report insufficient sleep. (https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S62907)

The Impact of Sleep Deprivation

Weakened Immune System

Sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system, as it helps the body fight infections and respond effectively to vaccines. When sleep-deprived, the body produces fewer antibodies, leaving it less prepared to combat illnesses like the common cold, flu, or COVID-19.

• Research indicates that individuals who sleep only four hours per night generate 50% fewer antibodies than those who sleep normally, resulting in a significantly weaker immune response 10 days after vaccination. (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/1032061)
• The difference remained even after plenty of recovery sleep.

In addition to reducing the body’s ability to fight infections, sleep deprivation significantly lowers the activity of Natural Killer (NK) cells, which are crucial for destroying cancerous cells.

• A single night of poor sleep can lead to a 70% reduction in natural killer (NK) cell activity, weakening the immune system (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7871104/). Chronic insufficient sleep is associated with an increased risk of cancers such as lung, blood, and ovarian cancer, and it accelerates tumor growth and metastasis.

<aside> 💡

Night-shift work has been labeled as a probable carcinogen due to sleep disruption’s link to cancer.

</aside>

https://www.ted.com/talks/matt_walker_how_sleep_can_improve_your_immunity?referrer=playlist-sleeping_with_science

Impaired Metabolism and Weight Gain

Sleep deprivation severely disrupts hormonal balance, particularly the hormones that regulate appetite.

• When sleep-deprived, the body decreases levels of leptin (the hormone inhibits appetite) and increases levels of ghrelin (the hormone triggering hunger), leading to a significant increase in appetite.

  

• This imbalance drives cravings for high-calorie, carbohydrate-heavy foods, which can contribute to unhealthy weight gain.

Additionally, poor sleep undermines the body’s ability to process glucose effectively.

• Just five nights of inadequate sleep can impair glucose tolerance by 40%, creating a state similar to what doctor would classify as being pre-diabetic state. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1991337/)

<aside> 💡

When dieting with insufficient sleep, 70% of the weight lost comes from muscle mass, not fat, as the body holds onto fat and sacrifices muscle, making dieting largely ineffective without adequate sleep.

</aside>