Lethargy, heavy eye lashes and dark eye circles are commonly associated with everyday drowsiness, but can extend further into a type of psychological torture known as sleep deprivation.

Statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that over 40% of Americans are victims to this form of exhaustion. Studies show it to be one of the most significant causes of error or accident in society, partially because people are not well-educated on the effects, more specifically the physical effects.

Senior Ryan Marquez said he feels comfortable in his knowledge of the effects of sleep deprivation.

“I’ve read magazine articles about the effects lack of sleep can have on your body and my parents have gone over it with me,” he said. “I know that a low energy level, difficulty keeping up in school, trouble keeping your eyes open, and a negative effect on the development in growth are all physical effects of sleep deprivation. They seem mild, so I’m sure there are much more severe ones.”

The more severe effects include high blood pressure, weight gain, a higher risk for diabetes, a weaker immune system, blurred vision, increased sensitivity to pain, fatigue, inflammation that can lead to types of cancer, Cardiovascular disease and a shortened life expectancy.

“I knew not getting enough sleep could ruin your grades and your attitude but I didn’t know it could basically kill you,” junior Kevin Butler said. “No one walks around thinking about what could happen if they spend too much time on their phone at night and don’t get enough sleep. Now that I know it could really mess with my body, I’ll be the first person walking around thinking about that because I’m honestly a little scared.”

Read part two here.