Continued Focus on Sleep Deprivation Effects on Health Necessary

The scientific study of sleep deprivation, while longstanding, continues to be needed as the findings directly impact public health concerns. Increased symptomology in medical conditions, development of symptoms of disease such as increased blood pressure and heart rate, heightened blood sugar levels, increased infections due to reduced immune functioning, and inflammation [4]. In addition to the medical consequences of sleep deprivation are the reductions in psychological functioning. Decreased attention and focus have been consistently found with products of this function measured in sleep deprived college student low grades and decreased functioning in the classroom process [8]. The micro changes in cortical functioning in terms of reduced hippocampal synaptical activity to the cortex resulting in reduced processing and memory functioning [5]. Impaired synaptic functioning also leads to impaired synaptic plasticity. It is believed that this impaired cellular functioning is the root of the poor communication ability leading to compromised cortex driven activities of attention, concentration and memory [1].