Continuous Sleep Loss Impact On Mental, Physical Wellbeing – Know The Details: The new study suggests that the deterioration of mental and physical well-being can be caused by three consecutive nights of sleep loss. Annals of Behavioral Medicine published a study. The study looked at the consequences of sleeping fewer than six hours for eight consecutive nights. The number of physical and mental problems steadily got worse, peaking on day three. At that point, the human body was relatively used to repeated sleep loss. On day six, the severity of physical symptoms was at its worst. So, continuous sleep loss impact is severe on mental as well physical wellbeing.
Lee said that Most of us think we can pay our sleep debt on weekends and can be more productive on weekdays. The study results have shown that having just one night of sleep loss can significantly impair daily functioning.
Nearly 2000 healthy and well-educated middle-aged adults were included in the data provided by the Midlife in the US. Among them, 42% had at least sleep loss for one night. For eight consecutive days, their physical and mental behaviors were recorded. As a result of sleep loss, nervousness, irritability, frustrated feelings have been reported. Even physical symptoms like upper respiratory issues, gastrointestinal problems were also found.
These symptoms and negative feelings were continuously found on sleep loss days and after having more than six hours of night sleep these came to baseline levels. Lee says that once less sleep becomes a habit, it is very difficult to fully recover from sleep lack.
Previously, Lee conducted a study. That study found just 16 minutes of sleep loss could impact job performance. Lee says the best way for maintaining daily performance is to sleep more than six hours every night.