Sleep Deprivation and Nausea: Causes, Effects, and How to Manage

How Sleep Deprivation Can Lead to Nausea

Not getting enough sleep can wreak havoc on both your mental and physical health. One common physical symptom that can arise from lack of sleep is nausea. But why does sleep deprivation often go hand-in-hand with an upset stomach? Here's a closer look at the connection.

The Link Between Sleep and Nausea

Research has found that there are several reasons why short-term and chronic sleep deprivation can trigger nausea symptoms like queasiness, stomach pain, and feeling like you need to vomit:

• Disruption of circadian rhythms - Your biological clock controls digestive processes. Lack of sleep throws these rhythms off balance.
• Changes in gut bacteria and motility - Sleep affects gut microbiome diversity and digestive contractions. Deprivation can allow bad bacteria to overgrow.
• Release of stress hormones - Not sleeping releases cortisol and adrenaline which can slow digestion and irritate the stomach.
• Fatigue and exhaustion - Extreme tiredness from sleep loss strains the body, which can manifest as nausea.
• Weakened immune system - Inadequate sleep compromises immunity making you prone to viruses that cause vomiting.

Short-Term Sleep Deprivation and Nausea

In the short-term, pulling an all-nighter or getting only a few hours of shut-eye can leave you feeling queasy. Researchers have found impaired sleep decreases vagal tone - this is the activity of the vagus nerve which controls stomach function and nausea signaling between the gut and brain.

With lowered vagal tone, digestive processes slow down. Food sits longer in your stomach and signals are not properly transmitted. This aggregation of undigested food mixed with digestive juice is what tends to create that unwell, nauseous feeling.

Additionally, lack of sleep activates your body's stress response. Your hypothalamus sends signals to the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, adrenaline, and other hormones that gear you up for "fight or flight." These substances can irritate the stomach lining and alter intestinal contractions leading to nausea.

Chronic Sleep Deprivation and Nausea

Over the long haul, chronic sleep deprivation can also cause gut issues like nausea. Research indicates adults need 7 or more hours per night for optimal health and functioning. Not meeting this minimum over days, weeks, or months has consequences.

Evidence shows chronically inadequate sleep contributes to a proinflammatory state in the body and increases markers of inflammation like C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Cytokines and other inflammatory molecules secreted in response to sleep loss likely underlie many downstream effects.

These inflammatory responses appear to alter the microorganisms in your intestines. Studies find sleep deprived individuals have less diversity in their gut microbiome. Imbalances between good and bad bacteria arise which can trigger digestive symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and nausea.

Who's Most Susceptible to Nausea From Sleep Loss?

Research indicates that women tend to experience more gastrointestinal issues from short and long-term sleep deprivation than men. This is believed to result from differences in key hormones that regulate sleep and digestion like estrogen, cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin.

Additionally, those already struggling with stomach problems may see exacerbation of nausea symptoms when they skimp on sleep. For example, people with chronic conditions like IBS, gastritis, GERD, or peptic ulcers often report worse nausea when they fail to get 7 to 9 hours of quality slumber.

Tips to Manage Sleep Deprivation Nausea

If you're struggling with queasiness, stomach pains, and feelings of vomiting from not getting enough pillow time, here are some methods to obtain relief:

• Prioritize sleep: Make getting adequate rest every night a top priority to prevent nausea issues from developing.
• Try ginger: Ginger root tea, ginger chews, or ginger ale can often quickly ease an upset stomach.
• Stay hydrated: Dehydration from sleep deprivation exacerbates nausea. Drink plenty of fluids like water and diluted juices.
• Limit fatty foods: Greasy, fried, and heavily spiced meals are harder to digest with inadequate rest.
• Manage stress: Use relaxing techniques like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing which lower nausea-inducing stress hormones.
• OTC medications: For severe nausea, over-the-counter anti-emetics like Pepto-Bismol or Emetrol can provide relief.

The Impact of Total Sleep Deprivation

Missing sleep for an entire night or staying awake for 24 hours straight is extremely taxing on your physical and mental state. Here's an overview of what happens when you don't sleep at all:

Early Phase - Feeling Fatigued But Functional

During the first phase which is less than one day without sleep, you will mostly feel abnormally drained, sluggish, and unable to concentrate. Symptoms tend to rapidly worsen the longer you stay awake.

Many people become irritable. Stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol flood your system giving you nervous energy and impaired judgment. Blood sugar and blood pressure rise as your body struggles to overcome your exhausted state.

Second Phase - Mental and Physical Breakdown

In the second phase from 24 to 72 sleepless hours, cognitive deficits and physical symptoms seriously start setting in. Speech, memory, decision making, and visual perception are markedly impaired. Microsleeps involuntarily occur making driving very dangerous.

Muscle aches, numbness, tremors, headaches, sensitivity to cold, and nausea can arise as your cells struggle with stress, inflammation, and neural damage. Metabolism slows while your heart rate, blood pressure, and risk of heart attack increase.

Final Phase - Severe Delirium and Inability to Function

By three or more days without any sleep, most people experience debilitating physical illness along with personality changes and severe disorientation. Anxiety, paranoia, mood swings, and hallucinations occur as short-term psychosis sets in.

The immune system stops working properly increasing susceptibility to viruses, common colds, and gastrointestinal issues. Cells struggle to regenerate with nutrients and oxygen unable to efficiently move through the body due metabolic abnormalities.

In rare cases, extremely prolonged total sleep deprivation over 10 days without rest has resulted in death. Most had underlying medical conditions, but ultimately organ failures due to stress could not be overcome.

The Bottom Line

Inadequate sleep and sleep deprivation - especially in the short term - frequently cause symptoms of nausea like queasiness, stomach cramps, and vomiting. This results from disrupted digestion, inflammation, gut bacteria imbalances, and fatigue putting strain on bodily processes.

If you are battling nausea from not getting enough sleep, be sure to take steps to prioritize getting 7 to 9 hours per night. Additionally, manage stress levels, stay hydrated, use ginger and other home remedies, and take OTC medications as needed.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.