Sleep Deprivation Quiz
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Sadness
Depressed
Short term memory loss
Mood swings
Memory loss
Clumsy
Forgetfulness
Short temper
Feeling dizzy when lying down and closing eyes
Trouble focusing eyes
Trouble concentrating
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Sleep Deprivation?
Sleep deprivation occurs when the quantity or quality of sleep is insufficient, often due to medical conditions, psychological factors, or lifestyle changes such as shift work or jet lag, thereby impacting ability to function when awake. Narcolepsy is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, which is also a common symptom of chronic sleep deprivation, making accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment essential to address both conditions effectively.
Typical Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation
- Difficulty concentrating
- I have been told my breathing stops for brief periods while sleeping
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Trouble sleeping
- Mental stress and physical fatigue
- Decreased motivation
- Loud snoring
- Feeling down or depressed
Diagnostic Questions for Sleep Deprivation
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Do you have difficulty concentrating?
- Have you been told that your breathing stops briefly during sleep?
- Do you often feel excessively sleepy during the day?
- Are you having trouble sleeping?
- Are you experiencing mental stress and physical fatigue?
Treatment of Sleep Deprivation
The best solution is getting enough sleep. Sleep hygiene techniques might help, such as having a dark, quiet room, enough daily physical activity, and using the bed only for sleeping. Occasionally, supplements or medications might be needed to restore a healthy sleep cycle. If symptoms persist, schedule an appointment with a sleep specialist.
Reviewed By:
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Family Medicine)
Dr.Patel serves as Center Medical Director and a Primary Care Physician at Oak Street Health in Arizona. She graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine prior to working in clinical research focused on preventive medicine at the University of Illinois and the University of Nevada. Dr. Patel earned her MSc in Global Health from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her Family Medicine residency in Chicago at Norwegian American Hospital before completing a fellowship in Leadership in Value-based Care in conjunction with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned her MBA. Dr. Patel’s interests include health tech and teaching medical students and she currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
Yu Shirai, MD (Psychiatry)
Dr. Shirai works at the Yotsuya Yui Clinic for mental health treatment for English and Portuguese-speaking patients. He treats a wide range of patients from neurodevelopmental disorders to dementia in children and participates in knowledge sharing through the Diversity Clinic.
Content updated on Aug 5, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Can't focus
- Restless sleep
- Easily distracted
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- I can not concentrate on my work
- Inability to sleep
- Sleep apnea
- Unable to sit for a long time
- Feeling stressed
- My brain is not functioning
- Excessive tiredness during daytime
- Sleep problems
- Less willpower to do things
- Making careless mistakes
- Hard to fall asleep or stay asleep
See full list
Symptoms Related to Sleep Deprivation
Diseases Related to Sleep Deprivation
FAQs
Q.
Stuck in "Brain Fog"? Why Diphenhydramine Drains Your Mind & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Diphenhydramine, a sedating first-generation antihistamine, can trigger brain fog by blocking acetylcholine, slowing thinking and memory, and increasing confusion and fall risk in older adults, nightly users, and those on other anticholinergic drugs. Medically supported next steps include switching to a non sedating antihistamine for allergies, avoiding it as a long-term sleep aid in favor of CBT-I and sleep hygiene, reviewing your full medication list, and knowing red flags and recovery timelines; there are several factors to consider, so see the complete details below.
References:
* Nishimura M, et al. Anticholinergic Burden and Cognition: A Systematic Review. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2019 Jun;67(6):1300-1307. doi: 10.1111/jgs.15858. Epub 2019 Apr 1. PMID: 30933390.
* Wong, J. S., & Wong, G. W. (2020). Over-the-Counter Sleep Aids in the Elderly: What Is Safe?. Drugs & Aging, 37(10), 711-719. doi: 10.1007/s40266-020-00788-5. PMID: 32808064.
* Ruiz S, et al. Anticholinergic drug burden and incident dementia in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ageing Res Rev. 2021 Mar;66:101235. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101235. Epub 2020 Dec 21. PMID: 33359146.
* Hajjar, E. R., Hanlon, J. T., & Sloane, P. D. (2009). Reversible Cognitive Impairment Caused by Anticholinergic Medications: A Systematic Review. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 43(9), 1324-1335. doi: 10.1345/aph.1M098. PMID: 19690130.
* Rajan, S. D., et al. Defining and managing brain fog in older adults: An emerging clinical problem. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2023 Jul 26:glad177. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glad177. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37493215.
Q.
Wide Awake? Why Your Brain is Stuck on High & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Feeling wide awake at night is often due to hyperarousal keeping the brain on high, overriding your sleep drive and circadian rhythm, and it can stem from stress, depression, poor sleep habits, medical problems, medications, or other sleep disorders. Medically approved next steps center on CBT-I, optimizing sleep hygiene and relaxation to calm the nervous system, selective short-term medications when appropriate, and evaluation for conditions like sleep apnea, with several factors to consider, so see below for key details that can guide your personal next steps and when to seek urgent care.
References:
* Myers, B., & Sapey, E. (2021). The effects of chronic stress on the brain. *Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences*, *1488*(1), 5–18.
* Pace-Schott, E. F. (2013). The neurobiology of fear and stress in the context of sleep and its disorders. *Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences*, *14*, 141–172.
* Cuijpers, P., Cristea, I. A., Karyotaki, E., Reijnders, M., & Huibers, M. J. (2019). How effective are cognitive behavior therapies for anxiety disorders? A meta-analysis. *World Psychiatry*, *18*(2), 209–217.
* Garakani, A., Murrough, J. W., Freire, R. C., Phillips, K. A., Masand, P. S., & Mathew, S. J. (2020). Pharmacotherapy of Anxiety Disorders: Current and Emerging Treatment Options. *Frontiers in Psychiatry*, *11*, 592030.
* Feder, A., D'Aversa, L. P., Ravichandran, L., Yehuda, R., & Charney, D. S. (2019). Psychobiology and pharmacotherapy of resilience. *Molecular Psychiatry*, *24*(12), 1735–1748.
Q.
Wired But Tired? Why Your Cortisol Won’t Reset & Medically-Proven Fixes
A.
Feeling wired but tired usually points to a disrupted cortisol rhythm from chronic stress, sleep loss, late-day caffeine, blood sugar swings, overtraining, or sometimes medical conditions, which can make you exhausted by day and alert at night. Medically proven fixes include morning light, consistent sleep schedules, a calming evening routine, balanced meals, moderate caffeine, smart training, and mindfulness or CBT, with red flags like rapid weight gain, severe depression, or long-lasting insomnia needing a doctor’s review; there are several factors to consider, and the complete, step-by-step guidance is detailed below.
References:
* Chaves-Maciel, G., Morim, A. A., & de Carvalho, J. F. (2022). Cortisol awakening response and its associations with stress, sleep, and health in young adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. *Psychoneuroendocrinology*, *142*, 105797.
* Guo, H., Deng, S., Zhang, S., Liu, C., Yang, J., Chen, Z., ... & Lin, Y. (2023). Impact of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Salivary Cortisol Diurnal Rhythm in Individuals With Chronic Stress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. *The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease*, *211*(5), 416-427.
* Nishat, K., & Raison, C. L. (2018). Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Dysfunction and Stress System Pathology in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. *Psychiatric Clinics*, *41*(2), 241-255.
* Miller, G. E., & Chen, E. (2021). Lifestyle interventions to improve the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. *Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences*, *1501*(1), 160-170.
* McEwen, B. S., Akil, H., & Nestler, E. J. (2020). Chronic Stress, HPA Axis Dysregulation, and Fatigue: Clinical Implications and Therapeutic Strategies. *Trends in Neurosciences*, *43*(9), 670-681.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Killgore WD. Effects of sleep deprivation on cognition. Prog Brain Res. 2010;185:105-29. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-53702-7.00007-5. PMID: 21075236.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780444537027000075?via%3DihubAbrams RM. Sleep Deprivation. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2015 Sep;42(3):493-506. doi: 10.1016/j.ogc.2015.05.013. PMID: 26333639.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889854515000595?via%3DihubLo JC, Chong PL, Ganesan S, Leong RL, Chee MW. Sleep deprivation increases formation of false memory. J Sleep Res. 2016 Dec;25(6):673-682. doi: 10.1111/jsr.12436. Epub 2016 Jul 5. PMID: 27381857; PMCID: PMC5324644.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsr.12436Gaine ME, Chatterjee S, Abel T. Sleep Deprivation and the Epigenome. Front Neural Circuits. 2018 Feb 27;12:14. doi: 10.3389/fncir.2018.00014. PMID: 29535611; PMCID: PMC5835037.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2018.00014/fullHudson AN, Van Dongen HPA, Honn KA. Sleep deprivation, vigilant attention, and brain function: a review. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020 Jan;45(1):21-30. doi: 10.1038/s41386-019-0432-6. Epub 2019 Jun 8. PMID: 31176308; PMCID: PMC6879580.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-019-0432-6