There are the obvious effects that disorders like sleep apnea may have on relationships: “Another effect of sleep apnea is strain on family relationships. If the sleep apnea sufferer does not seek treatment, the other spouse may eventually grow resentful. When the wakened spouse chooses to sleep in another room each night, the long-term distance can eventually cause a rift between the couple.” (website for Mark Kleive, DDS, PA)

But beyond the obvious, the deeper effects of lack of sleep can influence how we respond to those around us: “Activity in parts of the brain that control emotions, decision-making processes, and social interactions is drastically reduced during deep sleep, suggesting that this type of sleep may help people maintain optimal emotional and social functioning while they are awake.” (“Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep,” National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Getting your REM sleep, which is very hard for people with sleep disorders like sleep apnea, can prevent seizures and widespread effects of seizures: “REM sleep seems to help prevent seizures that begin in one part of the brain from spreading to other brain regions. Sleep deprivation also triggers seizures in people with some types of epilepsy.” (“Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep,” National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Increased stress which may lead to hypertension is often a result of poor sleep. A business psychologist said: “‘Sleep is one of the key factors to understanding what stresses an individual,’ business psychologist Gary Fitzgibbon told CNN. ‘When somebody’s undergone sleep deprivation … then you are more susceptible to developing stress.’” (“The cost of sleeping on the job,” Nick Easen, CNN, May 10, 2004) A person’s hormone balance is affected by loss of sleep: “The first effect of partial sleep loss on circulating levels of pituitary-dependent hormones to be documented under various study conditions is an increase in the early evening levels of the stress hormone cortisol.” (“The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Hormones and Metabolism,” Eve Van Cauter, PhD; Kristen Knutson, PhD; Rachel Leproult, PhD; Karine Spiegel, PhD, Medscape Neurology, April 28, 2005)

The brain is adversely affected by lack of sleep. It has to work harder, while doing less, when it is not refreshed by healthy sleep. A study summary on WebMD says, “A sleepy person’s brain works harder — and accomplishes less.  Researchers expected to find only sluggish activity in the brains of healthy young people who took a simple word test after staying awake for 35 hours. They found instead that while parts of the sleep-deprived brains churned with activity during the test, another part of the brain — the language center — shut down. ‘Sleep deprivation is bad for your brain when you are trying to do high-level [thinking] tasks,’ study co-author J. Christian Gillin, MD, tells WebMD. ‘It may have serious consequences both on performance and on the way your brain functions.’” (“Lack of Sleep Takes Toll on Brain Power,” Daniel J. DeNoon, WebMD Health News, Feb. 9, 2000 (Atlanta))

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says, “Sleep appears necessary for our nervous systems to work properly. Too little sleep leaves us drowsy and unable to concentrate the next day. It also leads to impaired memory and physical performance and reduced ability to carry out math calculations. If sleep deprivation continues, hallucinations and mood swings may develop. Some experts believe sleep gives neurons used while we are awake a chance to shut down and repair themselves.

Without sleep, neurons may become so depleted in energy or so polluted with byproducts of normal cellular activities that they begin to malfunction. Sleep also may give the brain a chance to exercise important neuronal connections that might otherwise deteriorate from lack of activity.” (“Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep,” National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) Lacking sleep can impact a person’s ability to excel at work, in school, and in normal, everyday tasks.

Sleep loss causes an increase in appetite, by hurting the ability of important hormones to do their job: “Recent studies in humans have shown that the levels of hormones that regulate appetite are profoundly influenced by sleep duration. Sleep loss is associated with an increase in appetite that is excessive in relation to the caloric demands of extended wakefulness.

Sleep loss therefore seems to alter the ability of leptin and ghrelin to accurately signal caloric need and could lead to excessive caloric intake when food is freely available. The findings also suggest that compliance with a weight-loss diet involving caloric restriction may be adversely affected by sleep restriction.” (“The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Hormones and Metabolism,” Eve Van Cauter, PhD; Kristen Knutson, PhD; Rachel Leproult, PhD; Karine Spiegel, PhD, Medscape Neurology, April 28, 2005)