Most people, when pressed for time, sacrifice sleep in order to get things done. When done once in a while in moderation, this is fine. However too many people make this sacrifice on a regular, if not daily, basis. And it may be affecting your health in ways you don’t realize.
The most obvious sign that you aren’t sleeping enough is tiredness. If you require coffee every morning just to think clearly, then you might be sleep deprived. But there are many more negative health effects that lack of sleep may be responsible for. These symptoms aren’t so obvious because they build up over time, much like the slow clogging of arteries. Once greasy burger won’t kill you, but a greasy burger every day for a year might.
Your body performs many vital maintenance tasks while your sleep. Scientists have yet to identify all the functions performed, but they have observed that the following conditions are more prevalent among the sleep deprived:
Heart disease - Not getting enough sleep may trigger the release of stress hormones and proteins that bump up the risk of heart attacks and strokes. One large study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2003 showed that women who slept less than five hours a night were 45% more likely to have heart problems than women who slept eight hours.
Diabetes - Being sleep-deprived can affect how your body processes blood sugar, and that could raise your risk of diabetes. One 1999 Lancet study of 11 healthy, young men found that after just six days of sleeping for four hours a night, their insulin and blood sugar levels were similar to those of people on the verge of diabetes.
Cancer - Sleeping too little has been linked with an increased risk of breast and colon cancer. Why? Exposure to light at night can decrease levels of the hormone melatonin, which may protect against cancer. Some researchers think shift workers may be more likely to get breast cancer than other women because of their exposure to artificial light at night.
Obesity - Multiple studies show that chronic loss of sleep may increase the risk of obesity. One 2004 study showed that people who sleep five hours a night are 73% more likely to become obese than those who sleep seven to nine hours. Sleep loss may cause the hormones that control appetite to get out of balance.
Depression - Depression and sleep are closely linked: While depression can cause sleep loss, sleep loss can lead to depression. In fact, some researchers believe a cause of postpartum depression is sleep deprivation.
Infection - Recent studies show that being well rested improves the body’s ability to fight off infection. One 2002 JAMA study showed that men who were vaccinated for the flu after sleeping only four hours a night for six nights had less than half the flu-fighting antibodies of men who slept normally.
Accidents - You might not consider accidents a health risk. But there’s no denying a car crash can have a severe impact on your health. Lack of sleep may be the culprit in up to 20% of all serious auto accidents. And several high-profile disasters — such as Chernobyl and the Exxon Valdez oil spill — were caused, in part, by overtired workers.
Do you feel that lack of sleep doesn’t affect you that much? Guess again. People who are chronically overtired often don’t realize it — they’ve just gotten used to feeling that way. Getting your body back into normal sleeping habits can do wonders, not just for your alertness, but for your health and well being.
