Can sleep deprivation cause seizures? | Lack of Sleep and Seizures

Sleep deprivation can actually cause seizures. It is still a mystery why this happens and what exactly is the connection between them, but this has already been reported many times and it is a fact that this happens; scientists will just need more time to understand why lack of sleep causes seizures.

Additionally sleep deprivation does not create necessarily permanent seizures. It is completely possible to have a seizure just one time and then never again for the rest of the person’s life. For example when students or adults go out and party all night long and also otherwise have a considerable lack of sleep prior to that this can cause a seizure to occur.

Lack of Sleep and Seizures

Although the connection is not clear it is known that the more severe the sleep deprivation then both higher are the chances of having a seizure and, as well, higher are the chances of having a seizure for a longer duration rather than a quick one.

Also, just for curiosity, some people only have seizures at night while others have them during the day only and yet others can have them randomly at any time, day or night.

Sleep Deprivation and Seizure Studies

Looking at scientific studies, Nature Reviews Neurology published in January 2007 a study which found that after sleep deprivation there is an increased cortical excitability which can induce seizures.

However, in another issue published by Neurology Volume 59 they compared rates of seizures between two groups of patients who already have partial epilepsy, where in one group patients were sleep deprived and in another group they had regular sleep and they did not find any difference in the rates of seizures between the two groups.

So as I wrote scientists still have a long way to go to understand the connection between lack of sleep and seizures, but it is a fact that sleep deprivation can cause seizures.