Warning Signs Of Sleep Deprivation

Dark Circles Under The Eyes

A physical symptom linked to sleep deprivation is the presence of dark circles under the eyes. This can be the result of acute or chronic sleep deprivation. Acute deprivation, it is worth noting, can be as simple as not sleeping well one night or staying up a few hours too late the night before. Over time, a lack of sleep makes the skin pale and dull. This can cause dark tissues and blood vessels under the skin to show under an individual's eyes. In addition, a lack of sleep can cause puffy eyes due to a buildup of fluid. Thus, the dark circles under the eyes can also be shadows from puffy eyelids.

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Poor Decision-Making

Sleep deprivation causes individuals to be less alert, and patients often develop impairments in judgment and reasoning skills. Decision-making becomes challenging, and patients are easily confused. They are less able to assess the risk associated with certain situations correctly and may make poor choices as a result. In fact, a research study from 2001 indicated that individuals dealing with sleep deprivation had a high expectation of gains. Thus, they were more likely to take a risk if there was the potential for a high payoff. The potential for loss and what those consequences would be may not even register.

Sleep deprivation also increases the likelihood of poor food choices as well as decreased memory retention. The decrease in memory retention may mean that crucial pieces of information for future decisions are now gone, which is another risk factor for poor decision-making.

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