People sleep less than before in many countries. Why do people sleep less? What effect does it have on an individual and on society?
Sleep deprivation has become common nowadays. It can be attributed to stress, depressive life and many more, which is impacting physical and mental well being of affected individuals, and influencing others around them. I would elucidate both the aspects in the following paragraphs.
Most are staying awake longer than usual due to overwhelming professional or academic obligations that keep them tied to their work for extended hours, and sometimes, they carry it to their homes, forcing them to engage till wee hours, and consequently, shortening their sleep tenure. Similarly, personal habits: smoking and consuming caffeine laced drinks such as Red Bull, and many more, are also major contributors to this phenomenon.
To add insult to injury, many seem to have developed a penchant for engaging with technology for leisure: playing games on mobiles, computers and many hand gadgets; interacting with others on social media has become a common practice. This is being done, usually at the expense of sleep time, to compensate for the time lost while overworking for professional commitments; consequently, they remain awake and alert for a long time at night.
These habits are impacting a majority adversely: many complain of lack of concentration, and feel drowsy throughout the day, affecting productivity at work and studies. Moreover, this is making many vulnerable to diseases such as undue stress hypertension and depression; aging them faster, and so on. Additionally, soma end up feeling irritated, and lose temper on inconsequential issues, picking up fights with anyone around, as a result: road rage cases are an example of such behavior.
In conclusion, overwhelming professional and academic demands and indulgence with these technological gadgets are the chief reasons for lack of sleep, but the impact can varied: ranging from poor health to social interaction.
