The importance of sleep is universal for everyone. In The Sleep of Long Haul Drivers by Milter, they explore the sleep patterns of long haul truck drivers. Long haul truck drivers often drive for hours without time to rest during the trip. Especially during long trips, it becomes dangerous for the drivers to be on the road. Based on the driver’s height, weight, age and body-mass index, the amount of sleep the drivers needed was calculated to be approximately 7 hours. On average, the drivers received only approximately 5 hours of sleep. Two of the drivers entered stage one sleep a total of seven times during their trip. This means that the drivers were transitioning from being awake to falling asleep. Driving while sleep deprived is deadly. After 22 waking hours, people perform as poorly as someone with a blood alcohol content of 0.08%. “Drowsy driving was responsible for 72,000 crashes, 44,000 injuries, and 800 deaths in 2003” (1).
Sleep is crucial for a healthy lifestyle. The right amount of sleep is able to recharge and prepare you for the day ahead. Getting too little sleep can have damaging effects. According to John Hopkins medicine the effects of sleep deprivation are huge (shown in image) (2).
Dr. David Gozal as the University of Chicago did an experiment on mice involving the relation between sleep and cancer. After injecting cancer cells under the skin of mice, he varied their sleep to see the effects. The first group of mice were allowed to sleep with no interruption. The second group of mice’s sleep was disrupted throughout the night. After about a week, tumors developed. Dr. Gozal opened up the mice to see the progression of the tumors in both groups of mice. The tumors in the first group of mice were small and well defined. But, in the second group of mice, the tumors were much larger. The tumor cells went all the way into the bone. He showed in his laboratory that cancer cells grow twice as fast in animals with disrupted sleep. This study is one of many that shows how important sleep is for our immune system (5)
The power of sleep is underestimated, especially in college students. The majority of college students reported daytime sleepiness and insufficient levels of sleep (3). As a college student, the effects of sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness are even more problematic because they can “result in lower grade point averages, increased risk of academic failure, compromised learning, impaired mood, and increased risk of motor vehicle accidents” (3) . College is extremely challenging, requiring students to stay up later in order to study - and occasionally socialize. The inconsistent sleep schedule and irregular hours of sleep leads many college students to suffering from daytime sleepiness. Sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness are both easily preventable. The challenging part is to actually change habits in order to obtain a better sleep schedule.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, getting too much sleep also increases health risks. The risks include but are not limited to: depression, increased pain, higher risk of heart disease, and higher all-cause mortality (4). Aligning your sleep schedule to your body’s circadian rhythm can be extremely beneficial for your health. Your circadian rhythm is your body clock. It is a natural system to regulate feelings of sleepiness and wakefulness. (6). The circadian rhythm also controls many physiological processes such as glucose tolerance, alertness, and reaction time. Utilizing the natural cycle of hormones can improve overall healthy because your body is more in-tune with itself. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule will also improve your overall health. There are many things about sleep that we still do not have the answers too. However, we do know that it is essential. Everyone needs to sleep.
Works Cited
(1) “CDC Features.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 7 Nov. 2017, www.cdc.gov/features/dsdrowsydriving/index.html.
(2) “Health Risks.” The Effects of Sleep Deprivation, John Hopkins Medicine, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/healthy-sleep/health-risks/the-effects-of-sleep-deprivation.
(3) Hershner, Shelley D, and Ronald D Chervin. “Causes and Consequences of Sleepiness among College Students.” Nature and Science of Sleep, Dove Medical Press, 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4075951/.
(4) Osmun, Rosie. “Oversleeping: The Effects and Health Risks of Sleeping Too Much.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 29 Jan. 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/rosie-osmun/oversleeping-the-effects-and-health-risks-of-sleeping-too-much_b_9092982.html.
(5) “Sleep Deep.” National Geographic Channel, National Geographic, 28 July 2016, channel.nationalgeographic.com/sleepless-in-america/videos/sleep-deep/?_ga=2.111396612.164912737.1512950772-21769966.1512950772.
(6) “What Is Circadian Rhythm / Body Clock?” Sleep.Org, National Sleep Organization, sleep.org/articles/circadian-rhythm-body-clock/.
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