KATHMANDU: Nighttime sleep is extremely important for our health. During this time, the brain also rests, repairs itself, and stores the day’s memories. However, in today’s lifestyle, especially among the youth, many stay awake late into the night. But did you know that lack of sleep directly harms our brain and sleep health?

Let’s hear from neurologists about how insufficient sleep affects our brain.

Impact on Memory and Learning Ability
During sleep, our brain organizes the day’s activities and the things we have learned. In deep sleep and sleep cycles, the brain stores new information for long-term memory. When sleep is incomplete, this process is disrupted, leading to poor memory retention and difficulty learning new things.

Reduced Focus and Decision-Making Ability
Lack of sleep causes brain cells—neurons—to function poorly, which impairs thinking and comprehension. This directly affects our attention, reasoning, and decision-making abilities. Furthermore, people who don’t get enough sleep have slower reaction times, increasing the risk of accidents.

Mood Swings and Mental Health Side Effects
People who sleep less often feel irritable, stressed, or depressed. This happens because sleep deprivation overactivates the amygdala—a brain region that controls emotions. Additionally, lack of sleep disrupts the balance of happiness hormones like serotonin and dopamine, increasing the risk of depression and anxiety.

Damage to Brain Cells
Long-term sleep deprivation damages brain cells. Lack of sleep can reduce the number of neurons in certain brain regions. Moreover, during sleep, the brain clears toxic proteins like beta-amyloid, which are linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s. Without enough sleep, these harmful proteins accumulate, impairing brain function.

Reduced Creativity and Problem-Solving Ability
Sleep is also crucial for creativity and innovative thinking. While we sleep, the brain combines new information to solve problems. Sleep deprivation disrupts this process, decreasing the generation of new ideas.

Therefore, if you want to keep your mind healthy, it is important to get 7–8 hours of deep sleep daily. Lack of sleep affects not only your daily life but can also damage your brain’s structure over time. So, prioritize your sleep and adopt a healthy lifestyle.