Sleep deprivation is usually described as "not getting enough sleep" but it's more deep than that. It doesn't just remove benefits of rest, it actively changes how the brain operates. Sleep deprivation disrupts neural networks, impairs emotional regulation and weakens memory systems. There are two networks in the brain that are most affected which are default mode network (DMN) which is responsible for internal thought and mind wandering and frontoparietal network (FPN) which is responsible for working memory, attention and decision making. When sleep deprived, there becomes an imbalance between the DMN and FPN which leads to impaired working memory, inconsistent attention and a struggle with the prefrontal cortex. Amygdala activity gets enhanced by over 60% which makes it overly sensitive to negative experiences and the medial prefrontal cortex which is supposed to calm those reactions actually stops communicating effectively with it. We become more impulsive and more likely to take risks than we normally would because of our reduced prefrontal oversight.
Sleep deprivation affects the hippocampus which helps form new memories, it becomes less active and less connected to areas in the brain that support learning which makes it harder to absorb new information. When pulling an all nighter to study you are actually undermining studying, the brain cannot encode well enough, so that is not an option for finals coming up around the corner. Overtime the combination of all of these problems could lead to mental health challenges and cognitive problems. When sleep deprived we aren't just tired, we are genuinely struggling to function the way we are supposed to.
References
Krause, A. J., Simon, E. B., Mander, B. A., Greer, S. M., Saletin, J. M., Goldstein-Piekarski, A. N., & Walker, M. P. (2017, July). The sleep-deprived human brain. Nature reviews. Neuroscience. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6143346/
I had no idea that the DMN and FPN became unbalanced when we are sleep deprived, but it does make sense given that we often become delirious when sleep deprived. I wonder how sleep deprived we need to be for these two to become unbalanced? Is it chronic sleep deprivation or even for a night or two of bad sleep that can mess with our cognitive function, memory, and decision making? I appreciate this post and will keep it in mind with finals coming up!
ReplyDeleteValla! This is interesting because, as students, we are constantly sleep deprived (majority of us) from late studying, working, and class time. I found an article that expanded on how an imbalance in the FNP in charge of the working memory is severely affected, impacting how we exchange verbal information with individuals (Faber et al., 2017). I've experienced this myself, when I tried to pull an all-nighter; the following day, I was slurring my words and could not comprehend any information during class time. This also adds on to Lauren's comment on chronic sleep deprivation. As students in rigorous STEM fields, this issue points to how important having a well-balanced sleep schedule is. This is something that I have struggled with because, in undergrad, I was always staying late catching up on lectures. But this post reminded me how I need to refrain from staying up past a certain time, which I have been doing better this semester.
ReplyDeleteFaber, N. S., Häusser, J. A., & Kerr, N. L. (2017). Sleep Deprivation Impairs and Caffeine Enhances My Performance, but Not Always Our Performance: How Acting in a Group Can Change the Effects of Impairments and Enhancements. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 21(1), 3–28. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868315609487;PAGEGROUP:STRING:PUBLICATION