Speech #3 – 315 words – Flashcard
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SIGNPOST: We just discussed how sleep deprivation affects our attention and alertness. Also, it makes people have slower reaction times and a more difficult time forming and recalling new memories. Now we will talk about the reasons for sleep deprivation.
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I. Although the causes of sleep deprivation are endless, numerous studies have categorized the most common reasons of sleep deprivation in relation to lifestyle and occupational factors.
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A. The 1st common reason of sleep deprivation is stress on the body. 1) Stress is very prevalent among every individual, whether it's good or bad stress. BUT what is stress? There are 2 types... a) The good stress (eustress) is the stress that motivates you to reach a goal or even fortify your body as in strengthening some functions. b) In contrast, the bad stress (distress) is obviously the type that you want to avoid. Unfortunately, bad stress can take a toll on some, resulting in loss of sleep.
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2) A study conducted in 2007 by David Armstrong and Alex Dregan, 2 professors from the Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, regarding identifying different reasons for sleep loss was based on 7,403 individuals in the UK. 2,991 reported having sleeping problems. Of those individuals, 2,066 reported identifying reason. Of those individuals, 37.9% or 782 reported that the reason for their sleep problem was worrying and thinking, which can lead to stress if it's not under control.
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3) Now stress causes the release of a hormone called "cortisol" in response to fight or flight mode, causing our bodies to prepare itself for action. For EXAMPLE, our heart rate increases, or we start to sweat. Individuals that face stress all the time also face having their cortisol levels not returning to normal, therefore their bodies are going crazy, not allowing them to sleep.
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B. Not only can bodies go crazy, but your brain can act the same way too. The 2nd common cause of sleep deprivation is having an overactive brain. We talked about stress, which can also severely affect the brain. In addition, there are other various reasons that correspond/cause an overactive brain such as nightmares, excessive screen time and substance abuse. Here's what I'm talking about.
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1) Dreams and nightmares are both are stimulants to the brain. Your mind is creating stories and pictures that can seem very realistic. Although, very disturbing nightmares can cause one to wake up from because they want to escape the state they were in.
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2) Secondly, we have screen time. Exposure to phones, tablets and/or laptops before bed will make it harder for someone to fall asleep because technology stimulates the brain. According to WebMD, the light also "delay[s] the release of the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin". It's the opposite of what you want.
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3) Finally, substance abuse can also affect sleep. Withdrawals from certain drugs can cause your brain to crave it, therefore it causes your brain to get worked up, trying to get you to get the drug somehow. Your brain isn't calm then. On the other hand, WebMD also states that alcohol "increases the number of times you awaken in the later half of the night, when the alcohol's relaxing effect wears off".
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C. Now, the 3rd most common causes of sleep deprivation are other disorders such as physical and psychiatric disorders.
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1) Psychiatric illness/disorders are very common reasons of sleep problems. According to a journal by a psychiatric doctor, Dr. Ruth M. Benca, "major psychiatric disorders have been associated with structural and biochemical abnormalities in neural systems that may also be involved in sleep regulation". Along with that, medications that are prescribed for these illnesses may have negative consequences on sleep.
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2) Another type of disorders are physical. Based on a journal by the Institute of Medicine called Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation, some physical conditions that commonly affect sleep are dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, etc. With these disorders, "typically, sleep is more fragmented, leading to more awakenings and consequently less time asleep, and REM may be decreased".
