You might accidentally get so absorbed in your smartphone that you end up going to bed late, or you might be so busy at work that you can't even get enough sleep...



This is common among modern people, but what happens to our bodies if we continue to lack sleep? Here, we will explain the role of sleep and what happens to us if we continue to lack sleep.

"Sleep" is essential for us to "be human"!

I'm sure everyone has had the experience of staying up late or not getting a good night's sleep, leaving you feeling drowsy and unable to concentrate.

This is because sleep plays a role in efficiently resting the brain, which is the control center of the body.

When you don't get enough sleep, the function of the brain's "frontal association cortex (the front part of the brain located behind the forehead)" first declines.

Now, let's take a look at the role of the frontal association cortex.

<Major roles played by the prefrontal cortex>

・Think logically and plan
Thinking creatively
・Communicate while reading the atmosphere
Make a decision
Increase motivation and drive to achieve goals
Shape and control your emotions
- Self-evaluate the results to see if the goal was achieved or not
- Associating tactile and visual information and controlling limb and body movements using vision
-Analyze information from the senses and recognize space

etc.

These are some rather formal expressions, but to put it simply, the frontal association cortex is responsible for the brain functions that allow humans to be human.

What happens to our bodies if we keep staying up late?

To maintain brain function, it is essential to get quality sleep and allow the brain to rest efficiently.

So what can happen if you continue to lack sleep? Here are two examples.

Part 1: If you don't get enough sleep for even one hour for 10 days...it's the same as staying up all night!

Let's say you normally go to bed at midnight and wake up at 7am, but recently you've gotten into the habit of checking your smartphone before bed, which has caused you to fall asleep an hour later.

I have to get up at 7am as usual because I have work to do.

My sleep time, which used to be 7 hours, has now dropped to 6 hours. If I continue living like this...

After just 10 days, your brain will function in the same way as if you had stayed up all night!

If you have ever stayed up all night, try to remember the fatigue and mental clarity you felt afterward. Even if you stay up just one hour late, your performance during the day will drop to the same level as after a tough night's sleep.

Part 2: If you don't get 2 hours of sleep for 10 days straight... will you become "drunk"?

Let's say someone with the same habits as above stays up an extra hour and falls asleep at 2 a.m. for a total of five hours of sleep.
After 10 days, you will be 0.05% intoxicated.

A state of 0.05% intoxication is generally referred to as being tipsy, and is equivalent to having consumed 1-2 bottles of beer, 1-2 cups of sake, or about 3 single shots of whiskey (of course, this varies from person to person).

I'm sure there are not many people who can say with confidence, "I can work as usual even when I'm drunk!"

Furthermore, sleep deprivation causes more drowsiness than alcohol consumption. Not only does it reduce your work ability and alertness, but it also causes intense drowsiness.

If you're in a meeting, you might be forgiven for thinking, "I'm tired because I've been working late every day." But what if you're driving a car?

Don't underestimate the harm of prolonged sleep deprivation, as it could lead to serious, life-altering accidents.

Not just a decline in brain function! The effects of lack of sleep on the mind and body

So far, we have been talking about what happens when you continue to lack sleep, mainly in relation to its effects on the brain, but as it is often said that "lack of sleep is bad for your skin," lack of sleep also affects the condition of your body and mind.

Below is a summary of the impact.



The "bad for your skin" mentioned earlier comes from the impact it has on your physical health and the decline in circulatory system function.

Looking at it this way, I think you can see that there is nothing good about not getting enough sleep!

If you feel like you haven't been getting enough sleep lately, take a look at your lifestyle habits.

In past columns, we've introduced tips for getting better quality sleep, ways to combat insomnia, and breakfast tips for a good night's sleep.

Please use these tips as a reference and make good quality sleep your ally to live better days.