Your brain heavily depends on sleep to function properly. When you don’t get the recommended 7-9 hours each night you are already making the next day harder than it should be. Sleep deprivation affects focus through many avenues that work together to make it hard to concentrate throughout the day. The most basic effect of sleep deprivation is feeling sleepy throughout the day. You spend much of the day thinking about when you will be able to go to sleep and not on any tasks you are trying to complete. Your brain exerts itself much harder than normal because you are distracted by your own need to sleep.

You Slow Down

Sleep Deprivation affects focus by causing general sleepiness negatively affect your cognitive thought process. Your brain will take longer to find solutions and to assess a situation. You would think that taking longer to make a decision would be beneficial, but on little sleep, the brain tends to work slower and with less complex and logical thoughts. The most dangerous consequence of this slowed down thought process caused by sleepiness is slow reaction time. A slow reaction can be deadly when one is driving or doing other reaction-based work, especially involving heavy machinery. Driving while sleep deprived is equally as dangerous as driving under the influence.

Memory

Learning and memorizing becomes difficult because your brain does not allow enough time to repair itself and create new neural pathways that strengthen memory. Picking out key details and information becomes almost impossible when you are sleep deprived. This builds up and eventually impairs your ability to store memories. As you sleep, your brain works to file away memories and information for short-term recall. If you were not able to pick up information throughout the day you will have a lower chance of remembering certain information you encountered with little sleep.

Change Your Habits

Sleep deprivation and drowsiness heavily affect your brain and how your body will function throughout the day. You have slowed responses and a tough time picking up valuable information. These things work together to make it hard for you to concentrate and focus throughout the day. Sleep deprivation can make you feel miserable and affect people around you. If you are experiencing any trouble sleeping and having a difficult time making it through your day, you should consider changing your sleeping habits. You will feel happier and more productive once you have a healthy sleep schedule.