Did you know that a persistent lack of sleep can be closely associated with hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, rotundity, diabetes, depression, anxiety, dropped brain function, memory loss, a vulnerable immune system, lower fertility rates, and psychiatric diseases?
According to research, the required amount of sleep an individual should get every night to ensure optimal body function and productivity is 8 hours of sleep.
Getting lower than 5 to 6 hours of sleep per night has been linked to an increased rate of Hypertension. This is because sleep helps the body regulate stress-causing hormones.
Also, Long-term sleep privation has been associated with increased blood pressure, advanced heart rate and inflammation owing to the fact that lack of sleep may disrupt the corridor of the brain which controls the circulatory system or cause inflammation that makes the development of a blood clot more likely.
All of these puts a gratuitous strain on your heart, and can lead to the following
Weight Gain & Rotundity
A lack of sleep is related to advanced, increased production of cortisol, a stress hormone; the resulting anxiety, stress and frustration will in turn contribute to emotional eating and poor nutritive habits. Ghrelin is another hormone produced in the stomach and has been associated with long-term sleep privation; an excess of ghrelin can actually make people feel more empty and research has shown that people who feel unrested are more likely to choose foods that are rich in carbohydrates and sugar which will inevitably lead to weight gain and obesity in severe cases.
Diabetes
Getting as much as 5 hours of sleep at night is still not enough. Research has shown that sleep privation may disrupt the body’s system from recycling glucose which cells use for energy and the quantum of insulin that the body produces. This is why it’s considered a significant threat factor in the development of type 2 diabetes.
Depression & Anxiety
Long-term sleep deprivation has been linked to clinical depression. Usually individuals suffering from depression frequently have irregular sleep schedules. Sleep cycles and mood regulation are both regulated by the hormone melatonin and lower production of melatonin are frequently seen in people suffering from depression and those affected by wakefulness.
On the other hand, anxiety and fear attacks can also be a common response for people floundering with habitual sleep insufficiency; they have shown to have a lower tolerance for mild diurnal stressors.
Lowered Brain Function
When the brain is not well rested over a longer period of time, internal faculties can drop drastically. We know that adequate sleep is necessary for people to feel sharp, concentrate and learn, but it also impacts our problem-solving abilities and the capability to regulate our feelings and make decisions. Sleep deprived people also have problems with balance and motor activities.
Memory Loss
Science has proven that sleep is important for giving the brain time to organize itself and, specifically, to commit information from the short- term memory to the long- term memory. Good sleep is pivotal for memory recall. Studies show an enhancement in memory loss after just one night of peaceful sleep.
Immune System Deficiency
Like the rest of our body, the immune system performs best when we get sufficient sleep. A prolonged lack of sleep causes an analogous response to high situations of stress; it can drop your antibody response and make you more vulnerable when you are exposed to pathogens and illnesses like cold waves and flu.
Lowered Fertility Rate
Sleep disorders lower libido and sometimes have a ruinous impact on anyone trying to conceive, both men and women. The same part of the brain that controls circadian measures also regulates the release of reproductive hormones. Regularly getting smaller than 7 hours of sleep can lead to lower production of testosterone and the hormones which stimulate ovulation, causing a decrease in fertility.
Psychiatric diseases
An extreme, long- term lack of sleep can lead to a number of psychiatric disturbances. Some people suffering from prolonged lack of sleep may experience symptoms such as disorientation, paranoia and visions. These types of symptoms can occasionally be confused or associated with schizophrenia.
What does sleep do for you?
- Helps you maintain or lose weight.
- Help improve concentration and productivity.
- Increases sugar metabolism and reduces type 2 diabetes risk.
- Help maximize athletic performance.
- Improves emotions and social interactions.
- Lowers the risk of depression and inflammatory conditions.
- Strengthens your heart.
- Enhances a healthy immune system.
If you are having sleep difficulties, here are some natural tips that can help you maximize your sleep time.
- Steer clear of an all-nighter: Staying up all night decreases your capability to reuse and dissect information, and will affect your performance mentally and physically the next day. 7- 9 hours of sleep will help prepare your mind for what is ahead.
- Exercise regularly: Regular exercise helps to produce a further peaceful sleep, but avoid exercise within 2 hours of bedtime because it may be too energizing and exhausting.
- Reevaluate your drink: Both caffeine and alcohol can disrupt your sleep. Caffeine stays in your system for over 8 hours and can keep you awake. Alcohol, though it may make you feel drowsy, decreases sleep duration and quality.
- Create a positive sleep terrain. A suggestion, sleep in a cool, dark and quiet room. You can use thick curtains or an eye mask to block out light and a white noise machine or observance entrapments to reduce noise.
- Clear your mind and relax. Journaling can help clear your mind, and soothing music or warm non-caffeinated tea can help you relax.
Still having trouble falling asleep? Try listening to cool, soothing music. Put off your gadgets at least 30- 60 minutes before bedtime.
Watching television, or using your computer, or phone and tablet screen just before bedtime can disrupt your natural sleep- wake cycle and make it harder to fall asleep. Be sure to shroud your screen, and put your phone on silent, If you do not want to turn it off.
