Sleep Deprivation, Disorders, and Drugs

Sleep Deprivation, Disorders, and Drugs
Tyesia Wheeler
Axia College of University of Phoenix
PSY 240
Autumn Harrell
December 16, 2012
Almost everyone, at some point in their lives, suffer from sleep deprivation. There are a lot of different reasons that people lose sleep that include not feeling tired, or because of their jobs, life issues, and etc. Many people believe that 8 hours of sleep is required for a person to function right during the day; while others believe that they can function just as well with fewer hours. For other people, not getting enough sleep can lead to the body and brain not functioning correctly in which may cause them to put their selves in danger. In addition one might have mood swings. As a young child I remember being full of energy while running around the yard with friends playing. After all of the playing I would go inside eat a good meal and soon after take a nap. The nap I took was not too long but after the nap was over I felt just as energized as before and was ready to play again. When I reached my teens I noticed that I still had a lot of energy but not as much as when I was a child. I remained active, slept at least 5 hours and kept an appetite until I reached my early-twenties. At this stage in my life I started working in corporate America, got my own place, bills, etc. In the beginning it was a lot more responsibility than I was prepared for which lead me to become stressed. At this point I started partying more, trying to get away from everything, which caused me to lose sleep, not eating enough, having mood swings, and my motor skills were not functioning properly. My mood on normal bases is good as far as socializing with others and being motivated. When I don’t get enough sleep I get sleepier, tired, lazy, and quiet as the day goes on. I become rude to others and I start lashing out because of my grumpiness. My motivation level is at a minimum when it comes to socializing and working. I noticed that my ability to do things like exercise, study, get dressed, or even cook is at a bare minimum if I decide to do it, usually I just go to sleep during any one of those times. My body feels as though it is sleepwalking and I have no energy. In addition to feeling sluggish when not getting my required hours of sleep I have noticed that my thought process is disrupted also. My ability to think clearly seems clouded or little to none so it’s very hard to do homework, read, etc. My experience does agree with the text in ways of sleep deprivation having physiological and behavioral disturbances. Sleep deprivation has caused a lot of bumps in my job, exercise schedule, etc. as well as unacceptable actions and reactions toward people and certain task. When I don’t get enough sleep I find myself drifting off into sleep all day and feeling sluggish. My body starts to shut down and I began feeling sick after more than one night of no sleep. There are two kinds of long term sleep reduction, polyphasic and monophasic sleep cycles. Polyphasic sleep cycle is a number of naps that are taken throughout the day. A monophasic sleep cycle is limited to only one extended nap a day. “The effects of long term sleep reduction are that sleeping too much can cause one to become groggy; and sleeping too little leaves one feeling unrepressed” (Pinel, 2007). Common sleep disorders include insomnia and hypersomnia. Insomnia is found in people who think they don’t get enough sleep when in reality they do. This person may try to sleep longer hours but can’t because they have in fact sleep enough hours. These types of people are given sleeping pills such as benzodiazepines and hypnotic drugs to control their sleep patterns. “In some cases the person who is taking these pills can become dependent on it and later start experiencing withdrawal” (Pinel, 2007). Hypersomnia occurs when a person sleeps too much. It usually occurs in people who suffer from narcolepsy. This is when a person sleeps in intervals throughout the day like during conversations, eating, and making love” (Pinel, 2007). Narcolepsy is said to come from abnormalities from REM sleep causing one to lose muscle tone while they are awake and fall asleep instantly. This form of sleeping disorder is treated with stimulants such as amphetamine and methylphenidate. These medicines just like benzodiazepines are very potent and can cause one to become addicted to it. The side effect may also cause someone to refrain from taking so the doctors have come up with a new medicine named modafil that is successful in reducing sleep. Sleep deprivation causes people to feel sluggish, irrational, tired, and to hallucinate. That’s why it is so important for people to get the sleep that the body requires. Getting too much sleep can cause one to feel overly rested and grumpy. Not getting enough sleep can cause worse effects like mood swings, lack of motor skills, and even health problems. It can also lead to more serious issues like insomnia and narcolepsy. Even though there are medicines that can treat some of the issues, it’s best to refrain from using them and try other ways to deal with the sleep issue, because they can become addictive.

References • Pinel, J. P. J. (2011). Biopsychology (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

References: • Pinel, J. P. J. (2011). Biopsychology (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.