Health authorities say you should sleep for about 7 to 8 hours per night. Sleepiness the following day is not the only thing you should be worried about in case you fail to spend enough time in dreamland. Read on to know some of the many complications of sleeplessness that can ruin your health and life.
Decreases Your Cognitive Function
Lack of sleep keeps your brain from resting, causing it to carry out its various functions ineffectively. You will find it hard to focus and learn new things. Both short-term and long-term memory may suffer. Insufficient sleep hampers not only your decision-making skills but also your creativity.
Puts You at Higher Risk of Occupational Injury
Due to a decrease in your overall cognitive functioning, inability to get enough sleep nightly puts you at risk of having occupational injury. What’s more, the lives of others are also placed in jeopardy because of your lack of sleep. For instance, it is said that thousands of automobile accident-related injuries and deaths can be attributed to drowsy driving.
It Makes You Temperamental
Sleep deprivation leaves you with mood swings that can ruin relationships. It’s not unlikely for you to have a very short temper all day long without getting enough sleep.
Enhances Various Mental Problems
Someone with narcolepsy may suffer from increased risk of hallucinating if he or she fails to get sufficient sleep nightly. A person with manic depression may have more episodes of mania. Depression and suicidal ideations tend to worsen or get exaggerated if the person is not able to sleep nightly.
Insufficient Sleeps Increases Your Cancer Risk
Studies have shown that there’s a strong link between sleeplessness and cancer. Experts have found out that breast and prostate cancer are the kinds you’re at high risk of if you fail to get enough sleep on a nightly basis.
Weakens Your Immune System
It is when you sleep that the immune system bolsters itself to be able to defend your body against invading microorganisms better. Because of sleep deprivation, you are likely to end up having more infections and other illnesses. Bouncing back from these various health problems may take longer, too, due to a weakened immune system.
It Makes You Prone to Respiratory Problems
Because having insufficient amounts of sleep can keep your immune system from doing its best in safeguarding your health, you are more susceptible to colds, cough, influenza and other respiratory system problems. Experts say that sleeplesness may also exacerbate chronic diseases of the lungs like emphysema and bronchitis.
Lack of Sleep Makes You Feel Hungry
Depriving yourself of sleep is not a good idea especially if you’re trying to watch your weight. That’s because it diminishes the production of the hormone leptin, a chemical that signals your brain when you’re full. If you want to steer clear of overeating and feeling hungry all the time, get enough sleep nightly.
Increases Your Risk of Obesity
There are many causative factors of obesity, and one of them is sleep deprivation. Because you feel tired all throughout the day, exercising would be the least of your concerns. Not having enough sleep is also perceived by the body as stress, causing it to collect abdominal fat to protect the vital organs.
Not Having Enough Sleep May Leave You with Diabetes
Health authorities say that chronic sleeplessness makes your body resistant to insulin. This will cause a surge in your blood sugar level, making your more prone to developing type 2 diabetes.
Sleeplessness Increases Inflammation
Inflammation is a good thing if you have a wound or infection. If it takes place for no apparent reason, you may be in danger. Inflammation is associated with a host of disease, from obesity, arthritis to cancer. One of the most effective ways to ward off unnecessary inflammation is by getting enough sleep nightly.
Sleep Deprivation is Bad for the Cardiovascular System
While you are sleeping, the body gives your heart and blood vessels some much-needed repair and rest. Failure to get sufficient amounts of sleep nightly may only leave you with problems such as high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. Experts say that lack of sleep is a definite no-no for hypertensive people as it can cause an increase in the blood pressure the following day.
You May Look Older Because of It
Lack of sleep is perceived by the body as a form of stress, causing it to release more cortisol. This hormone speeds up the breakdown of the structural protein collagen which makes your skin soft and supple, thus leaving you with wrinkly and saggy skin.
