Introduction: An adult needs 8 hours of sleep in a day. Numerous events such as, among other things, the secretion of different hormones, a significant increase in the performance of the immune system, the regulation of neurotransmitters, and a decrease in blood pressure occur during those 8 hours. If humans do not sleep enough, their bodies cannot function well, and this can bring about many diseases such as the weakening of the immune system, high blood pressure, neurological disorders, etc. Moreover, sleep deprivation has direct effects on the brain. Numerous events such as the control of the vital bodily functions, the secretion of different hormones, the reduction of the performance of neurons, etc. occur while a person is sleeping, and sleep deprivation can have major debilitative impacts on the brain. The current study aimed to deal with the effects of sleep deprivation on brain function.
Methods: Several activities are performed while a person is sleeping. Regulating the neurotransmitters is ones of such activities. Hormones including noradrenaline (norepinephrine), serotonin, and dopamine are the neurotransmitters of the human body that are regulated during sleep. Thus, sleep deprivation can disturb the regulation of neurotransmitters and bring about symptoms such as aggression, depression, and hallucination. Furthermore, blood pressure and heartrate decrease during sleep. Sleep deprivation can disturb this cycle and bring about tachycardia and high blood pressure. Recent studies have proven that sleep deprivation can increase the risk of cancer. In addition, it can lead to slackness and the pain and weakness of muscles. Sleep deprivation has a direct effect on the immune system. While a person is asleep, the immune system significantly increases its activity and fights infections. This process is disturbed by sleep deprivation, and the immune system gets weakened against environmental factors. In addition, sleep deprivation has a direct impact on the nervous system, particularly on brain. It can result in aggression, reduced understanding, neurological disorders, diplopia, etc. by reducing the function of neurons in the long run. It can also reduce the efficiency of the cerebellum, which can result in vertigo, the lack of balance, etc.
Results: Sleep deprivation has many indirect effects on the brain in addition to its direct effects. For instance, neurological messages are not delivered appropriately when the regulatory cycle of neurotransmitters is disturbed. This can bring about aggression, neurological disorders, and an increase in the possibility of depression. Furthermore, a sudden increase in blood pressure and heartrate can lead to a stroke. Sleep deprivation can disturb the secretion of growth stimulators such as somatotropin, thyrotropin, corticotrophin, lactogen, and gonadotropin. Sleep deprivation can reduce the performance of the cerebellum, and it has frequently been observed that a sleep-deprived person shows symptoms such as vertigo, the lack of balance, limp, and sometimes inability to walk. Sleep deprivation can bring bout mental and psychological disorders such as depression, hallucination, aggression, and temporarily disturb senses such as weakened smelling, diplopia, hearing terrible noises, the feeling of being called by others, feeling extreme heat, becoming intolerable to heat, and being unable to recognize tastes by reducing the function of brain neurons. In addition, sleep deprivation can reduce brain function and weaken understanding and IQ. While body and brain can adapt to a few days of sleep deprivation, long-term sleep-deprivation will bring about irremediable effects and consequences.
Conclusion: Since sleep deprivation has a direct and negative effect on the brain, it can reduce the level of understanding and IQ. Sleep deprivation can also lead to the emergence of mental and psychological disorders such as hallucinations. It can also disturb the senses. Moreover, it can disturb the function of the cerebellum, which will bring about consequences such as inability to maintain one’s balance.