No matter the reason behind your sleeplessness, it has a negative impact on your health.
Both the chronic and occasional lack of sleep influences our mood and may also increase the risk of headaches, low focus, and daytime sleepiness.
Melatonin is a hormone which plays a role in our sleep regulation and it’s secreted around 9 and 10 pm. It helps our body keep its circadian rhythm going and it also regulates other hormones.
When it’s dark, our body makes more melatonin and when it’s light, it lowers. When we’re not aware of the importance of sleep and what its lack can do to our health, we can easily harm ourselves.
Below, check out the 10 worst side effects of being sleep deprived.
10 Negative Effects of Sleep Deprivation
- You’re more anxious
Sleep is pivotal for the body’s repair and relaxation-when we don’t get sufficient of it, stress will build up and will feel tenser the next day.
Our mind-to-body connection is strong and if it’s not fixed through sleep, it may manifest as anxiousness.
- You’re more depressed
Insufficient sleep messes with your neurotransmitters and may lead to a drop in the neuron signalling that regulates our mood.
One study discovered that sleep deprivation affected the processing of emotions and anxiety regulation.
- Increases our risk of stroke
According to a study, insomniacs have a higher chance of stroke when compared to those without sleeping troubles.
This is mainly because low sleep makes our heart system weaker, elevates our blood pressure, and minimizes the blood flow to our brain.
- Reduces our focus
When we don’t sleep enough, we’ll be less focused and there will be a decline in our memory formation.
It was also discovered that even one night of low sleep leads to loss of brain tissue.
- Puts us at higher risk of obesity
Melatonin is also in charge of regulating the hormones of hunger or fullness, ghrelin and leptin, respectively.
When we don’t get enough sleep, the ghrelin levels increase and the leptin ones lower, making the ideal situation for weight gain and possible obesity. Plus, people who’re chronically deprived of sleep will be less likely to work out because they’ll feel tired.
- Increases the cancer risk
Studies have associated low sleep with colorectal and breast cancers.
This is because insomniacs have lower amounts of melatonin and this may lead to inflammation, a major trigger for cancerous tissue formation.
- Suppresses the immunity
When we don’t sleep regularly, our immunity suffers and our body’s fight against viral or bacterial infections diminishes.
A lot of studies have found that the production of T-cells reduces if we don’t sleep enough and these cells play a role in a healthy immunity.
- Higher blood pressure
When we’re only sleeping 5 or 6 hours per night, our blood pressure will significantly increase.
This is because sleep is in charge of regulating the stress hormones that in turn plays a role in keeping your blood pressure balanced.
- Higher risk of diabetes
Low sleep messes with the metabolism of glucose and thus, decreases our insulin sensitivity and tolerance to glucose.
- Higher risk of injuries
When we don’t sleep well and enough, our judgment and perception isn’t the same.
One study that lasted for more than 10 years concluded that the men who got less than 6 hours of night time sleep had higher risk of mortality.
