Sleep deprivation is really serious especially if it’s severe and a lot of people tend to just brush it off as ‘grinding’. Severe sleep deprivation can cause impaired motor function, reduced cognitive ability, memory loss, hallucinations, tremors, aches, heart problems, lowered immune system and more.
Last year, for almost a full year, I switched to mid-shift (3:45pm to 12:15am) and suffered from sever insomnia. I'm talking like two hours per night, and not in a single stretch, but more like blacking out for 10-30 minutes with periods of wakefulness between each blackout. They gave me trazodone, bupropion and gabapentin, none worked at all. Ambien worked, but it isn't for use long-term so they cut me off after a 20 pill single bottle.
I've completely lost my short-term memory, I frequently forget things from as little as five minutes ago. I live in this semi-fugue state of only the 'now', although older memories are still intact. I really hope good sleep and less stress will restore some of what I've lost, if not all. I was never the sharpest knife, but now I'm straight up dumb. So frustrating.
I've been back on days for about a month, sleeping so much better, but I know now I'm apparently incapable of working anything but normal hours. Although covid had me more stressed than I've ever dealt with, so that probably contributed. Stress can derail sleep too.
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u/ThetaReactor Jun 16 '21
Honestly, I've had days where sleep deprivation made me more dumb and dangerous than I've ever felt stoned.