What are the symptoms of sleep deprivation?

Individuals who are sleep-deprived may not recognise the effects of being so. Small amounts of sleep loss over many nights may result in subtle cognitive loss, which appears to go unrecognised by the individual.

More severe sleep deprivation for a week can lead to profound cognitive dysfunction similar to those seen in some stroke patients, which may also appear to go unrecognised by the individual.

Sleep deprivation can cause:

• Confusion, memory lapses
  
• Depression, irritability, headaches
• Eye bags and bloodshot eyes
• Increased blood pressure, increased stress hormone level
• Increased risk of diabetes, obesity
• Decreased immunity
• Decreased growth hormones
• Increased risk of road traffic accidents
• Poor work productivity
• Poor quality of life
• Sleeping less than four hours a night is associated with higher risk of premature death