Remember the nursery school song, ‘early to bed and early to rise, makes someone healthy and wealthy and wise‘, well the circumstances have not yet changed now that we are older, you need enough sleep to function properly.
Sleep deprivation has alarmingly become a health issue. A health issue that could rob you of a lot more than just a good night’s rest. For a long time, Doctors have recommended at least 7 hours of sleep each night for a normal bodily function.
However, there are many hindrances to getting enough sleep including late working hours, online distractions, noise and unhealthy lifestyle choices. Well, these choices could lead us to a number of dangers that include;
Loss Of Memory
When you get enough sleep, your body recharges thus boosting your brain activity. Insufficient rest causes lack of concentration and affects your brain’s ability to retain information. This is due to changes in the synaptic connectivity that controls memory storage in the brain.
Mood Swings
We all get a little grumpy when we don’t sleep well. Apart from that, you have heightened emotions thus causing you to be highly irritable and prone to emotional outbursts. This may lead to unnecessary altercations with your co-workers or family members.
Weight Gain
Many insomniacs suffer from obesity. Due to lack of a good night’s rest, your stress hormone increases making you indulge in your favourite comfort food. Additionally, you produce an excess of ghrelin; a hormone that makes you feel hungry. Therefore, you’re more likely to eat unhealthy food when you’re tired.
Road Accidents
Fatigue is one of the leading causes of accidents. It slows your reaction time in case of danger. In addition, it reduces your attention to the road making you more likely to cause an accident. When you fall asleep at the wheel, you put your life and other road users’ at risk.
Diabetes
A study conducted by Harvard University found that women who work a mix of day and night shift are at the highest risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. The study defined irregular shifts as working at least three-night shifts per month. This hampers the body’s ability to regulate sugar levels properly. Hence, it leads to the development of diabetes in such women.
Immune Deficiency
During sleep, we produce a protective substance called cytokines which fight bacteria and viruses. If you don’t get adequate rest, you prevent your body from producing these substances thus exposing you to illnesses. Additionally, insufficient sleep prolongs the period it takes to recover from an illness.
Heart Disease
Insufficient sleep could lead to a number of heart problems including heart attack, strokes and irregular heartbeat. This is because it interrupts normal blood circulation. Hence, it makes it more likely to develop a blood clot and inflammation that lead to heart diseases. Certain chemicals are activated when you’re not well rested that prevent the body from lowering your heart rate.
Anxiety
As mentioned, sleep deprivation causes an increase in stress levels. You’re prone to being irritable and anxious when you’re not well rested. So, next time you have a big day, make sure you get lots of sleep to avoid feeling jittery.
Puffy Skin
Lack of adequate sleep leads to water retention under the skin causing it to appear swollen. Though it’s not as serious, puffy skin can make you look fatigued and sickly. This can be a cause of concern for those around you. Make sure you’re well rested for that natural, glowing skin.
Physical Growth
In growing teens, insufficient sleep could prevent growth hormone production. It’s recommended that men should sleep for 3 uninterrupted hours for healthy production of testosterone. Testosterone helps in having normal growth spats thus reaching your full growth potential.
If you’re having sleeping problems, you should consult a doctor. Over the counter sleep, medication is both dangerous and highly discouraged.