What Really Happens to Our Brains When We're Sleep Deprived? A Neurologist Explains

[Judi Lynn]

Ugh.

MICHAEL S. JAFFEE, THE CONVERSATION 10 MAR 2018

As people in the Northern Hemisphere are preparing for the daylight saving time switch, many of us dread the loss of the hour's sleep we incur by moving our clocks forward.

For millions, the loss will be an added insult to the inadequate sleep they experience on a daily basis.

Surveys show that 40 percent of American adults get less than the nightly minimum of seven hours of sleep recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the National Sleep Foundation.

The National Institutes for Health estimate that between 50 million and 70 million people do not get enough sleep.

More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/sleep-deprivation-daylight-savings-is-it-bad-for-you

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. Given that most people are chronically sleep deprived, often by choice

because they stay up late to watch TV and then get up early for whatever, and given it is only one hour, I don't understand why so many people freak out over the change of time twice a year.

I do think we start DST too early and end it too late. But one hour? Do people who are complaining so vociferously NEVER cross a time zone? The rule of thumb about crossing time zones is that it takes one day for each hour/time zone crossed. So everyone really ought to be up to snuff by Monday. Tuesday at the latest. I keep on seeing bullshit that people are disoriented for weeks, which is utter nonsense.

One day. One freaking day. And it's on a day that most people don't need to go to work. So feel sorry for those of us on shift work, but if you work a daytime job Monday through Friday, just get over it. Which you should by Monday, anyway.

Jeez.

[Boomer]

2. You're dismissing a major body stressor

Research shows that the shifts back and forth from DST are a major disruptor of the body's rhythms. The effects of this disruption takes weeks to assimilate, not just one day. Travel across time zones is disruptive, too. Not sure why you're so invested in scorning the impact of DST, but your attitude is not grounded in fact.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. It seems to me as though people make a huge big deal out

of losing one hour of sleep once a year. As if they never stay up extra late or get up extra early on occasion.

Also, if that is such a huge stressor, then we should be incredibly concerned about the pilots of airplanes who cross multiple time zones constantly.

There is an adjustment period, but it's not really weeks, or shouldn't be, otherwise it would never ever be a good idea to cross a time zone.

Maybe I'm just a lot more adaptable than most people. But I do get tired of the twice a year freakout about how dreadful the shift in time is. Just get over it, already.

[Boomer]

4. Maybe you just haven't paid attention?

The effect of crossing time zones on pilots and flight attendants is, in fact, a topic of concern. These are just the top results in a long list of articles on that very subject.

http://www.australianscience.com.au/health/changing-time-zones-the-health-effects-of-jet-lag/

http://www.careerflightpath.com/jet-lag-coping-strategy/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12014603

Maybe you are more adaptable, which is something to celebrate. Is it so difficult to accept that your experience is personal to you and may not be shared? How does it hurt you to listen and be more compassionate of different experiences, different reactions? Why must you dismiss them with such scorn? What does that prove?

[Javaman]

5. I know as I get older my sleep pattern has most definitely changed.

I don't sleep as deep and not as long.

As a result I'm usually always tired.

And it effects my work enormously.

I have tried all sorts of things to help short of drugs (I just can't go there) and some sort of help but mostly, it's temporary at best.

I do all that one is supposed to do to get a good nights sleep, but to no avail.

I just roll with it as best as I can, but quite frankly, it sucks.

and on the rare occasion I get get 6 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep, it's like a miracle. I notice a difference right away. more energy and my focus is so much better.

[NickB79]

6. I'm right there with you

My sleep pattern went to hell when my daughter was born 8 years ago. I went from such a heavy sleeper that a book shelf could fall on my head in the middle of the night and just roll over and go back to sleep (really happened) to being an incredibly light sleeper due to the anxiety of being a father. To this day, I still have sleep problems just like you.

And just like you, I'm at a total loss to fix it, and it seriously effects my work and home life. Espresso and coffee are my closest, dearest friends these days

[Delphinus]

7. My excuse

is menopause.