The best way to relieve stress, keeping your brain healthy and agile, and even boosting your immunity is getting those mandatory 7-8 hours of sleep. However, when you don’t sleep or don’t establish proper sleep routines, the consequences can be devastating.
Studies say that delaying sleep for even 30 minutes could have adverse consequences such as difficulty concentrating and behavioral problems. Sleep debt over a period of time could be even more devastating to your overall health and well-being.
Sometimes, people do not pay attention to the quality of their sleep and they may not understand its connection to the various health problems they face. Warning signs of sleep deficit should not be ignored. They can range from fatigueirritability, mood swings, difficulty concentrating and remembering, and decreased sexual desire.
5 things that can happen to you when you don’t get enough sleep
Lack of sleep could cause accidents
If today you find it difficult to concentrate and you have trouble making decisions, you should pay attention to how much (or little) you sleep. Additionally, one study found that around 71,000 people are injured each year due to sleep-related accidents, with 1,550 of them dying.
“Sleep deprivation affects the prefrontal cortex, which handles reasoning, and the amygdala, which deals with emotion. Which has effects on behavior and judgment. Lack of sleep can affect the ability to form new memories. It also affects the ability to pay attention, react quickly, and make decisions. This also translates into an increased risk of accidents when driving and using heavy machinery,” says Dr. Praveen Gupta, Senior Director and Head, Department of Neurology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram in a conversation with HT Digital.
Too little sleep could affect your fertility
“Sleep deprivation can affect hormone production, including the production of growth hormones and testosterone. It also causes the body to release additional stress hormones, such as norepinephrine and cortisol. This can also affect fertility,” says Dr. Gupta.
Not getting enough sleep could make you sick
Dr. Gupta says that lack of adequate sleep can lead to oxidative stress and inflammation. Which could lower a person’s immunity and make people prone to infections.
When you don’t sleep you could get fat
sleep reduction leads to weight gain due to effects on hormones that control feelings of hunger and satiety. It also leads to an abnormal release of insulin. This can cause increased fat storage, changes in body weight, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Lack of sleep could lead to a heart attack
Lack of adequate sleep worsens blood pressure, sugar levels, and inflammation. Which leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, says the expert.
Causes of inadequate sleep
- shift work
- Noisy or inappropriate temperature
- Use of electronic devices close to bedtime
- Medical problems, such as depression, sleep apnea, or chronic pain
What can be done to avoid sleep deficit?
“Remedies for inadequate sleep should focus primarily on sleep hygiene, including counseling, lifestyle, and environmental adjustments. Relaxation techniques like meditation, mindfulness training, and breathing exercises can also help,” says Dr. Gupta.
“Sometimes people may need treatment for an underlying health condition. People whose insomnia is not resolved by the above techniques should take the appropriate sedative-hypnotic medication under proper medical guidance,” he adds.
Related Notes:
Health alert: Pfizer withdraws this popular drug due to cancer risk
Study: Ivermectin fails as a treatment against COVID-19
Bruce Willis retires from Hollywood after diagnosis of aphasia, is it a treatable condition?