When we talk about the consequences of sleep deprivation, we automatically think of tiredness : in fact, the lack of psychophysical energy and drowsiness are the most immediate effects of a lack of night rest , but they are not the only ones. There are also other signs and signals through which the body tells us that we are not sleeping enough.
Sleeping is good for you
There are people who are almost proud of sleeping little and brag about it to others, as if it were a quality. In reality, sleeping little is not a sign of strength or resistance at all, on the contrary: quality sleep is essential for health and general well – being , so too little or inadequate quality sleep can have harmful effects. Unfortunately, sleep deprivation is a very common disorder: in the United States alone, according to estimates by the American Thoracic Society, more than a third of adults suffer from it . The average recommended sleep per night is seven to nine hours for most adults, although it must be said that everyone has their own personal sleep needs.
The Causes of Sleep Deprivation
There may be several causes underlying insufficient and incorrect sleep, including:
- sleep disorders, such as insomnia , sleep apnea , narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome ;
- aging: Sleep changes with age and older people typically sleep little and for shorter periods;
- diseases: Sleep deprivation is more common among people with certain medical conditions including depression , schizophrenia , chronic pain syndrome , cancer , stroke , and Alzheimer’s disease ;
- sudden disruptions or changes in your sleep schedule – this includes jet lag, the birth of a baby , or a recent change in work schedule;
- bad lifestyle habits and poor sleep hygiene.
Signs of sleep deprivation
- Weight gain
- Memory and concentration lapses
- Increased vulnerability to infections
- Mood swings
- Pressure surges
Some symptoms of sleep deprivation are obvious and well-known, such as daytime tiredness and sleepiness . Others, however, are less well-known, harder to notice and/or less easily attributable to lack of sleep. Here they are in detail.
Weight gain
If you’re gaining weight for no apparent reason, sleep deprivation may be to blame. Sleep deprivation interferes with hormones that regulate appetite and the breakdown of glucose , which can lead to weight gain.
Even a small disruption in your daily sleep routine can have negative effects on your fitness: with just one night of partial sleep deprivation, you feel hungrier, less full, and crave more high -calorie , sugary , and fatty foods .
Sleep deprivation can also negatively alter the way your body stores fat .
Memory and concentration lapses
Research and clinical trials have shown beyond any shadow of a doubt that sleep is essential for cognitive function: that is why sleep deprivation has several negative effects on the brain . For example, not getting enough sleep worsens brain function, including the ability to remember, concentrate, and make good decisions . More recent data even suggests that chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of cognitive decline as we age.
According to the American Thoracic Society, just one lost hour of sleep can impact concentration and reaction times the next day, which can contribute to workplace accidents and car crashes .
Increased vulnerability to infections
Another sign that you are not getting enough sleep is the ease of contracting infections, such as colds, tracheitis , flu , gastroenteritis . In fact, sleep deprivation could make you more susceptible to infections; this is because during sleep the body regenerates and starts self-healing processes. In particular, during night rest the body produces a greater number of cytokines ( proteins ) that create an inflammatory response, which can help you heal when you are sick and fight infections and wounds. Lack of sleep affects the immune system , weakening it .
A September 2015 study in Sleep also found that people who sleep less than six hours a night are more susceptible to getting the common cold . Similarly, sleep deprivation may also affect the body’s ability to mount a broad antibody response to vaccinations .
The long-term dangers
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, chronic sleep deprivation is also linked to long-term health problems such as heart disease , kidney disease , high blood pressure, diabetes , stroke and obesity .
Mood swings
You may be familiar with the saying, “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” This expression, used to describe a person who is grumpy or in a bad mood, has some truth to it, as sleep is also essential for mental health : when you don’t get it, you’re more likely to have mood swings or feel depressed, anxious , or irritable .
In fact, research has shown that poor sleep can increase negative emotional responses, reduce your ability to cope with stressors ( even minor ones), and decrease positive emotions. And when you feel down or stressed, you tend to sleep even worse, so the problem perpetuates itself and can create a vicious cycle .
Pressure surges
During sleep, there is a gradual lowering (followed, in the very early hours of the morning, by a rise) and rebalancing of blood pressure . Those who are insomniacs or suffer from frequent awakenings, on the other hand, have abnormal changes in blood pressure, which increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and can lead to actual arterial hypertension . According to studies, blood pressure increases are more common in those who tend to get out of bed often.
