Sleep deprivation is becoming a growing challenge among people today. Most people have experienced sleep deprivation at least once, and the phenomenon is becoming more and more common, especially among adults. Just like food and water, sleep is a biological need that our bodies need to function properly. With this in mind, let's look at the negative effects sleep deprivation has on people and their productivity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay One of the main effects of sleep deprivation, often overlooked, is that it can cause accidents. Some of the world's biggest disasters have been attributed to human error due to lack of sleep. From the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 to the Exxon Valdez oil spill, sleep deprivation has caused loss of life, destruction of property, and environmental degradation. Furthermore, sleep deprivation has been the cause of a huge amount of road accidents, leading to a high number of fatalities. Approximately 100,000 road accidents and 1,500 accident-related deaths can be attributed to driver fatigue (Peri para. 3). These numbers are shocking considering that the majority of victims are young adults aged 25 or younger. In fact, nearly 20% of all traffic accidents in the United States are due to sleep deprivation among drivers (Blass et al. 28). Additionally, workplace accidents are often caused by sleep deprivation. Workers who have frequent workplace accidents cite lack of sleep as the main reason for such accidents. Productivity is also affected by lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation leads to poor performance in the workplace and at school. Children need 10-12 hours of sleep per day, while adults need a minimum of 7-8 hours (Blass et al. 28). Lack of sleep among school-going children can lead to poor grades, while adults can underperform at work. The body needs sleep to improve thinking and learning, and lack of sleep or minimal sleep can inhibit these cognitive processes in numerous ways. Sleep-deprived people are unable to reason properly, pay attention, concentrate and remain alert (Peri par. 5). In fact, researchers have compared doing simple tasks while tired to doing them while under the influence of alcohol. Activities such as studying, driving, and working can be difficult for sleep-deprived people to perform properly. Additionally, sleep deprivation causes poor memory retention, causing people to forget quickly or take a long time to process simple information. Sleep is essential for the mind to store memories. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Sleep deprivation for a prolonged period causes depression. In fact, most people who suffer from depression and anxiety sleep six hours or less per night (Peri para. 11). Insomnia (a common sleep disorder) is generally the first symptom of depression, and most sufferers eventually become depressed. Insomnia and depression are intertwined in the sense that insomnia can cause its victims to suffer from depression, and those who are depressed tend not to sleep. However, as much as insomnia is attributed to depression, treating the disorder can help cure depressed victims. People who don't sleep,.