Why lack of sleep can cause hallucinations

Sleep is one of the basic things a person needs to survive. This is the time when our body restores itself and performs the most important biological functions. Lack of sleep can lead to serious consequences, and one of them is hallucinations.

Adults are recommended to sleep from 7 to 8 hours every night to maintain a normal physical and mental state. However, modern life, with its work and stress, often prevents us from getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep or complete lack of sleep is called sleep deprivation.

For most people, a short period of sleep deprivation does not pose a serious threat. However, frequent and prolonged lack of sleep can cause serious health conditions, including hallucinations.

A hallucination is a sensory experience of something that is actually unreal. It can manifest itself through the senses of sight, smell, sound, touch, taste and movement. Hallucinations are individual and can be terrifying or pleasant for different people.

Hallucinations can occur both while awake and during sleep. If you don't get enough sleep, they can get stronger and become more intrusive.

Studies show that prolonged lack of sleep can lead to changes in perception and dopamine levels in the body. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with our feelings and motivation. Dopamine levels can increase with lack of sleep, which can contribute to the occurrence of hallucinations.

After 48 hours of missed sleep, many people enter the stage of extreme sleep deprivation. They may have periods of light sleep, called "microsleep", which last up to 30 seconds. Staying awake for two days in a row also destroys the immune system and causes depersonalization, extreme fatigue and increased irritability. It is at this moment that a person may begin to hallucinate.

When a person does not sleep for 72 hours, his perception of the world can change dramatically, causing more complex hallucinations, including illusions, disordered thinking and depersonalization. At this moment, the body is in a state of extreme lack of sleep, and a person may experience extreme fatigue and irritability.