Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation is a general lack of the necessary amount of sleep. This may occur as a result of sleep disorders, active choice or deliberate inducement such as in interrogation or for torture
(courtesy of Wikipedia).

Now to be completely honest with you, most of the time I suffer from the self induced form of sleep deprivation. You know I am watching a really good movie, reading a book, playing a video game, playing a role playing game or waiting for the midnight release of a popular CD (although I think in college it might have counted as torture when my roommate would wake me up at two in the morning because her boyfriend was weird and wanted me to explain why he did something). There is also sleep deprivation not because you really want to do something, but you need to; put the dog out (always better no matter how little sleep you get than cleaning up accidents), little voices telling you to get up because they're hungry/thirsty/bored (no, not the voices in my head, I really do have children... real ones).

It is sometimes funny how it works. You know you're tired but you are doing something so you push yourself to stay up just a little longer. You add caffeine or any of the other things that keep you awake. Eventually, you get to a state of perceived hyperactivity as your brain seems to kick into high gear (wired tired). You know you are tired, but even if you go to bed now you won't be able to sleep.

But it does catch up to you. Sleep deprivation can have many symptoms. All of us are familiar with cranky. I myself resemble a grizzly awoken from hibernation when I don't get enough sleep. It becomes harder to concentrate and brain tries to go to sleep with out you (things that you normally figure out really easy are amazingly difficult during this time). Not to mention the goofies, everything seems silly and/or you behave in a goofy manner. Then there are the uglies. How does lack of sleep give you the uglies? Dark, baggy circles under your eyes are the first, and pasty skin. When I am overtired I tend to eat more to keep myself awake. Sleep deprivation can cause obesity (and here I thought it was twinkies and lack of exercise).

Now for the symptoms that aren't so much fun; nausea, blurred vision, dizziness, head ache, sore throat and stuffy nose. No, you probably aren't really sick that often, but your body is paying you back for depriving it of its z's.

Well, I need to take a nap before my uglies get worse.

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