Many important processes take place in the body during sleep. Not sleeping for one night can therefore have an impact on your abilities and well-being. You can find out exactly what the consequences of a sleepless night are here. Also read more about sots and streamers.
How much sleep a person needs is completely individual, as our need for sleep is determined by our internal clock, which is genetically determined. Some get by on six hours of sleep a night, others need eight or more to wake up feeling rested. But even if you are a short sleeper who is still fit as a fiddle in the morning, you will clearly feel the consequences of a sleepless night.
Not sleeping one night has a direct impact on your body, as it needs sleep to regenerate. Not sleeping a single night can already have a negative impact on various aspects of your physical and mental health because sleep is responsible for so many vital functions in the body:
DURING SLEEP
- the neuronal network in the brain regenerates,
- information from the waking state is processed and stored in memory,
- growth hormones are released, which support body growth and regeneration,
- the heart rate and blood pressure drop,
- the immune defence is strengthened by the increased presence of defence cells,
- the metabolism runs at full speed and energy stores are replenished,
- metabolic waste products are removed from the brain.
Sleep is not only important for physical recovery and regeneration, but also for memory formation and learning, a strong immune system and the regulation of metabolic processes. So we need sleep – every night.
WHAT HAPPENS
Not sleeping one night can lead to cravings for fast food. Skipping a good night’s sleep can throw our whole system out of whack. According to sleep physician Anna Heidbreder in an interview with Utopia, going a night without sleep has a noticeable effect:
‘In fact, just one night without sleep significantly increases the risk of you catching a cold virus the next day. It has been shown that people who are vaccinated produce fewer antibodies when they don’t sleep. They also say that you have an alertness similar to 0.5 per mille when you drive a car after a night shift.’
OTHER EFFECTS
- Neurocognitive functions: Your ability to process information deteriorates. Your long-term memory is impaired, your attention span is shortened and you perform tasks more carelessly.
- Sensitivity to stimuli: The brain is less able to distinguish between important and unimportant stimuli. Loud noises and beeps can therefore cause greater stress.
- Behavioural changes: Not sleeping one night puts you in a bad mood? Not necessarily, because according to scientists, sleep deprivation can also lead to euphoria. However, this is accompanied by an increased willingness to take risks. You also find it harder to concentrate, react more slowly to unforeseen events and are more easily irritable.
- Immune deficiency: There is evidence that sleep deprivation can make you ill in both the short and long term. People who sleep less than six or seven hours a night have an increased risk of infection. After 24 hours of complete sleep deprivation, the immune system is also significantly less effective in defending against diseases. Certain immune cells work more slowly and the immune system is less able to remember known pathogens, which weakens your defence mechanisms.
- Cravings for unhealthy foods: a lack of sleep can lead to the hormone ghrelin being released. This not only signals feelings of hunger to the brain, but also influences the reward centre. This can result in an increased craving for high-calorie and unhealthy foods, especially fast food.
TIPS FOR FALLING ASLEEP
Regular sleep is important for your body to function at its best. Missing a night’s sleep should therefore be the exception – but is manageable for most people: sleep doctor Anna Heidbreder explains that you can catch up on sleep. However, if you suffer from sleepless nights or other sleep disorders for longer than three months, it is necessary to have this checked out by a doctor.
At the same time, you can try out some tips for better sleep. Heidbreder recommends:
If you can’t fall asleep, think of something trivial that makes you feel familiar and comfortable.
With meditation, podcasts or audiobooks, you can try to focus your brain on something else that lets you switch off. However, you need to find out what works for you individually. Podcasts and audiobooks can also have a stimulating effect.
Try out relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation. A relaxed body can also relax the mind.
