The Impact of a Lack of Sleep on Daily Functioning and Concentration

The Shocking Effect of Sleep Deprivation on Daily Performance and Focus

Several studies investigating the effect of sleep deprivation on performance and concentration have come up with shocking results. Strikingly, individuals who obtained six hours of sleep for ten days straight demonstrated the same impairment in performance and concentration as individuals going without sleep for twenty-four hours straight. Furthermore, this deterioration of performance continues to build up over weeks or months.

Additionally, it is also worrisome that the individuals in question often are unaware, as indicated in certain studies. When asked about their subjective sense on how sleep deprived they are they consistently underestimated their degree of performance disability. It is the equivalent of someone at the bar who had far too many drinks, confidently saying he is fine to drive home.

Why Sleeping it Off on the Weekend is not an Effective Strategy

Studies indicate that it takes more than three nights of adequate sleep to recover from a week of being sleep deprived. Moreover, this illustrates the fact that sleeping it off on the weekends to pay off the weeknight sleep debt is not an effective strategy. Unfortunately, this is exactly what millions of people around the world are doing on a weekly basis. Furthermore, doing this week after week significantly disrupts your circadian rhythm. This can cause serious negative long term health consequences.

A New Baseline of Suboptimal Functioning Caused by Prolonged Sleep Deprivation

Studies report another problematic conclusion. Individuals with chronic sleep restriction over months or even years will acclimate to their impaired performance. This creates a new baseline of low-level exhaustion, lower alertness and reduced energy levels. These people are unable to make a connection between their permanent state of sleep deficiency and their reduced mental aptitude. Neither with their lowered physical vitality and the slow accumulation of ill health.

Studies indicate that millions of people around the world never maximize their potential of the mind or body. This is because of their blind and naïve persistence to sleeping too little. They spend years of their life in a suboptimal state of psychological and physiological functioning. These are the people who claim they can “get by just fine on just four or five hours of sleep a night”. However, this is scientifically proven as impossible and extremely bad for your health.