Negative Effects Of Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation produces adverse effects on the body. Yu-Chih Chiang, Susan W. Arendt, Tianshu Zheng, and Kathy A. Hanisch, associate professors from Iowa State University, describe that a lack of sleep can cause imbalances in the immune system, which contributes to problems such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes (Chiang et al 73). These issues are damaging to a person’s lifestyle, and could possibly lead to death. Moreover, Chiang, Arendt, Zheng, and Hanisch mention that sleep deprivation leads to “sleepiness, fatigue, and attention lapses” (Chiang et al 73). Furthermore, the fatiguing effects of a lack of sleep can adversely affect a person’s driving skills, and job and academic performance. Ursula Klumpers, Dick Veltman,

Chiang et al detailed a study which found that sleep deprived college students maintained lower grade point averages than students that displayed healthy sleep schedules (Chiang et al 73). A lack of sleep causes students to greatly underperform in class. Chiang et al also described the specific effects which led to decreased academic performance. They describe that a poor amount of sleep will decrease attention and memory skills, and will cause students to perform worse when problem-solving (Chiang et al 74). Three important aspects of academic success are negatively impacted by a lack of sleep. Students have difficulty learning and maintaining information because their attention and memory are reduced. Additionally, damaged problem-solving skills produce poor results on tests and homework. Furthermore, the effects of sleep deprivation are seen in every level of academics. Chiang et al mention that over one hundred studies have been performed that examine the effects of sleep loss on academic success, and that the studies sampled students ranging from elementary classes, to college classes (Chiang et al 74). There is an overwhelming amount of evidence verifying the effects of sleep deprivation on performance in