Occasional sleep deprivation can have a negative impact on your brain, but the effects are still reversible.
From college students to office workers, most of us are no strangers to all-nighters whenever deadlines loom near.
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In a study published in the journal JNeurosci, scientists observed 134 volunteers and the effects of sleep deprivation on their brains.
It’s known that the organ changes in appearance as we age, but this is the first time scientists have studied how a lack of sleep can impact its physical properties.
Using an AI-powered algorithm to guess the age of the brains from the scans, they found that brains appeared one to two years older when the subjects went without sleep for more than 24 hours.
However, scientists at Forschungszentrum Jülich found that staying up all night once in a while won’t have long-term effects.
It can be detrimental in the short-term, but even just a night of recovery sleep can reverse the signs of aging.
When planning to pull an all-nighter, even having just three hours of sleep will show no negative impact on the brain.
Short-term sleep deprivation can lead to fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and a decline in mood. So once you’ve passed that deadline, make sure to reward yourself with a proper, full night of rest.
Banner image via Pexels by Los Muertos Crew.
