Have you ever thought about how much more you could get done if you had two extra hours each day? It might seem tempting to cut down on sleep to make this happen. But what really happens if you sleep two hours less every night?
To start, it’s important to know how much sleep our bodies and brains need. Research shows that most people do best with about eight hours of sleep each night. However, nearly half of the population only gets six hours or less.
On the first night of reduced sleep, you might feel a burst of energy because your brain releases a chemical called dopamine. But soon, your brain starts to slow down in areas that help with planning and making decisions. Even if you feel okay with six hours of sleep, the truth is that your brain might not be functioning as well as you think.
Scientists use a test called the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) to see how lack of sleep affects people. In this test, a red button turns green at random times, and you have to press it quickly. People who get eight hours of sleep usually do well on this test, showing few mistakes. But those who sleep only six or four hours start to perform worse each day.
People who sleep just four hours a night perform the worst on the PVT. They experience “microsleeps,” where their brains briefly shut down. Studies show that getting six hours of sleep for ten days is like staying awake for 24 hours straight. If you sleep only four hours for 11 days, it’s similar to not sleeping for 48 hours.
Many people don’t realize how much their thinking and reaction times are affected by lack of sleep. It’s like being at a party and thinking you can drive home safely when you’re actually too tired to do so.
Sleep deprivation also affects your memory and ability to solve problems. Even one night of four to five hours of sleep can reduce your body’s natural killer cells, which help fight cancer, by 70%. Your immune system weakens, making you more likely to catch a cold. Long-term sleep loss is linked to various cancers and increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
So, even if you think you’re more productive by sleeping less, remember that your brain might be slowing down without you noticing. The cost of losing sleep could be higher than you realize.
For more interesting content, check out our latest video where we wore every piece of plastic we used for a week. We also have a podcast discussing hustle culture and studies on stress and sleep. Don’t forget to subscribe for more exciting content!
Keep a sleep diary for a week. Record the number of hours you sleep each night and how you feel the next day. At the end of the week, analyze your data to see if there’s a correlation between the amount of sleep you get and your mood or energy levels. Share your findings with the class.
Conduct a reaction time experiment similar to the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) mentioned in the article. Use an online reaction time test and compare your results after a full night’s sleep versus a night with reduced sleep. Discuss how sleep affects your performance.
Research the effects of sleep deprivation on health. Create a presentation or poster that explains how lack of sleep can impact memory, immune function, and long-term health risks. Present your findings to the class.
Participate in a class debate on the topic: “Is it worth sacrificing sleep for productivity?” Use evidence from the article and additional research to support your arguments. Consider both short-term and long-term effects of sleep deprivation.
Join a workshop on mindfulness techniques that can improve sleep quality. Practice exercises such as deep breathing or meditation, and discuss how these techniques can help you achieve better sleep and overall well-being.
Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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For many people, sleep can feel like a burden they wish to eliminate. Imagine how much more you could accomplish in a day with just two extra hours! But what would actually happen if you reduced your sleep by two hours each night?
First, we need to understand how much sleep our body and brain truly require. The majority of research indicates that around eight hours of sleep is optimal for the average person. Currently, nearly 50% of people get six hours or less each night.
The first night of reduced sleep may activate the mesolimbic system, releasing dopamine and providing a sense of adrenaline. However, your brain gradually begins to deactivate areas associated with planning and decision-making. Even if you feel fine after getting six hours of sleep, the reality is more concerning than you might realize.
Scientists use a technique known as the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) to assess the effects of sleep deprivation. Essentially, it’s a reaction test where a red button randomly turns green, and participants must press it as quickly as possible. Unsurprisingly, those who get eight hours of sleep over a two-week period show very few lapses in attention and no cognitive decline. In contrast, groups that received either six or four hours of sleep exhibit declining PVT results almost daily throughout the two weeks.
The group that received four hours of sleep performs the worst, and these results indicate not just a loss of concentration but also full lapses in awareness known as microsleeps. This means their brains aren’t just slower; they are shutting off for brief moments. Further analysis revealed that getting six hours of sleep for ten consecutive days is equivalent to not sleeping for 24 hours straight, resulting in cognitive decline similar to being legally intoxicated. If you get four hours of sleep for 11 days, it’s akin to not sleeping for 48 hours straight.
These studies also show that participants were often unaware of their cognitive decline. In other words, when you’re tired, it’s similar to being that person at a party who insists they can drive home safely.
Other tests indicate that your ability to memorize and retain information, as well as perform simple math or problem-solving tasks, declines at comparable rates. Perhaps the most alarming fact is that even after just one night of four to five hours of sleep, your natural killer cells—responsible for stopping cancer cells from proliferating—drop by 70%. You are also more susceptible to catching a cold due to a weakened immune system, which is why we often feel the need to sleep more when we’re sick. Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to various cancers, including bowel, prostate, and breast cancer. Additionally, individuals over 45 who sleep less than six hours a night are 200% more likely to experience a heart attack or stroke. The World Health Organization has even classified nighttime shift work as a probable carcinogen.
So, even if you believe that cutting two hours of sleep enhances your productivity and you don’t feel any worse, remember that each day your cognitive abilities may be diminishing, costing you more than you realize.
Be sure to check out our latest video, where we challenged ourselves to wear every piece of plastic we used for seven days while living our normal lives in public. It was quite an experience! We aim to create content that positively impacts people’s lives and the planet, and this video contains a lot of interesting science that hasn’t reached many viewers, so we appreciate your support.
If you want to learn more about sleep and pushing your limits, our latest podcast discusses hustle culture and explores various studies related to stress, sleep, and optimizing work for better results. We’ll leave links in the description. Otherwise, don’t forget to subscribe for more content, and we’ll see you next time for another video.
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This version maintains the original message while removing any informal language or potentially sensitive content.
Sleep – A natural state of rest for the body and mind, during which consciousness is suspended and the body can recover and rejuvenate. – Getting enough sleep each night is essential for maintaining good mental and physical health.
Health – The overall condition of a person’s body or mind, especially in terms of the presence or absence of illnesses or injuries. – Regular exercise and a balanced diet are important for maintaining good health.
Memory – The mental ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. – Studying regularly can help improve your memory and make it easier to recall information during exams.
Brain – The organ in the head that controls thought, memory, emotion, and many other functions of the body. – The brain is constantly processing information, even while we are asleep.
Dopamine – A neurotransmitter in the brain that plays a major role in reward-motivated behavior and pleasure. – Activities like exercise and listening to music can increase dopamine levels, improving mood and motivation.
Immune – Relating to the body’s ability to resist harmful microorganisms or viruses through the production of antibodies. – A healthy diet and regular exercise can help strengthen your immune system.
Cancer – A disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body. – Early detection and treatment are crucial for improving the chances of recovery from cancer.
Productivity – The effectiveness of effort, especially in terms of the rate of output per unit of input. – Taking regular breaks can actually increase your productivity and help you focus better on tasks.
Psychology – The scientific study of the mind and behavior, including the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena. – Understanding psychology can help us better understand why people behave the way they do.
Deprivation – The lack or denial of something considered to be a necessity, such as sleep or nutrients. – Sleep deprivation can lead to serious health problems and affect your ability to concentrate.
