{"id":28351,"date":"2022-04-28T07:00:53","date_gmt":"2022-04-28T11:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/restonic.com\/sin-categorizar\/sleep-deprivation-impacts-health-5837"},"modified":"2022-06-30T14:41:37","modified_gmt":"2022-06-30T18:41:37","slug":"sleep-deprivation-impacts-health-5837","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/restonic.com\/es\/blog-es\/sleep-deprivation-impacts-health-5837","title":{"rendered":"How Sleep Deprivation Impacts Your Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

Science explains what happens to your body when you\u2019re short on snooze<\/h2>\n

\"HowYawning, crankiness and long nods\u2026 It\u2019s tough to get through the day when you\u2019re short on sleep. A sleep deficit affects virtually every system in your body, from head to toe, influencing not only your physical health but emotional health as well.<\/p>\n

The full impact of a rough night isn\u2019t always evident, but it\u2019s there and can be serious, especially for your long term health. If you need a reminder about the importance of quality sleep, the fallout when snooze is in short supply isn\u2019t pretty.<\/p>\n

The grisly facts about all the ways lack of sleep affects your body\u2026<\/h2>\n

1. Lack of sleep & brain drain. <\/strong>Being exhausted interrupts those otherwise efficient pathways between nerve cells that communicate information. You may not process information as quickly and coordination skills may suffer, boosting chances of having an accident.<\/p>\n

Because all paths lead back to the brain <\/a>when it comes to how well we function, it\u2019s not surprising that a sleep deficit can lead to serious long and short-term health issues. Researchers have found a 33% increase in the risk of dementia \u2013 plus escalated depression, irritability, anxiety, forgetfulness and fuzzy thinking. Not getting enough rest on a regular basis can age your brain by an estimated 3-5 years.<\/p>\n

Also of note is the tie between insomnia and mood. A 2007 study of 10,000 people with insomnia were 5 times as likely to experience depression.<\/p>\n

\"How2 Lack of sleep & your skin. <\/strong><\/b>Sometimes, with just a quick glance, you can tell that someone has had a rough night. It shows on their face \u2013 sallow skin, puffy eyes and dark circles. You can blame the stress hormone cortisol \u2013 it\u2019s called beauty sleep <\/a>for a very real reason. When you don\u2019t sleep enough, cortisol levels increase and break down collagen, an important component in skin that keeps it elastic and smooth.<\/p>\n

3. Lack of sleep & your heart.\u00a0<\/strong><\/b>Sleep deprivation means a 48% increase for risk of developing heart disease, a potentially deadly condition. When you skimp on sleep, you miss out on valuable time that the body spends helping heart vessels to heal and rebuild. It also impacts our ability to maintain healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels. An analysis published in the\u00a0European Journal of Preventive Oncology<\/a>\u00a0connected insomnia to an alarming elevated risk of heart attack\u00a0and\u00a0stroke<\/a>.<\/p>\n

4. Lack of sleep & sex.\u00a0<\/strong><\/b>There\u2019s more bad news about how a lack of sleep wreaks havoc on your body. Expect your sex life <\/a>to suffer, too. Men especially experience lower libido levels because of lower testosterone, which, you guessed it, are tied to poor sleep quality.<\/p>\n

Evidence published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism<\/a> (2002) stated that men who suffer from sleep apnea are significantly affected. The study showed that nearly half of the men with severe apnea secreted abnormally low levels of testosterone at night.<\/p>\n

For both men and women who are tired, the last thing on their minds would be getting busy between the sheets. Let\u2019s face it, the best intimacy happens when both partners are well rested and raring to go.<\/p>\n

5. Lack of sleep & your respiratory health.\u00a0<\/strong>Your ability to breathe freely and easily may suffer when your sleep is incomplete. In the past decade, researchers have seen an increased risk of\u00a0new and advanced respiratory diseases. The question often asked is: what causes it? Does insomnia cause breathing problems or do breathing problems cause insomnia? It turns out that both scenarios are possible.<\/p>\n

Obstructive sleep apnea disrupts deep sleep. Being woken frequently <\/a>throughout the night will leave you vulnerable for respiratory infections like flu and common colds, which can both lead to life-threatening illnesses like pneumonia. Being sleepless can also make any existing breathing conditions, such as asthma, worse.<\/p>\n

\"How6. Lack of sleep & your immune system. <\/strong><\/b>Your immune system <\/a>also takes a beating, leaving it less able to fight off infection. Sleep deprivation means you\u2019re three times more likely to get a cold. Your natural killer cells become less active, which means they\u2019re not doing their job to protect you. While you\u2019re snoozing, your immune system produces infection fighters like cytokines, which clobber bacteria and viruses that may invade the body. They also help you sleep and replenish your immune system with more energy to stave off illness. If you\u2019re already sick, sleeplessness may mean it will take you longer to recover and get back to feeling well again.<\/p>\n

7. Lack of sleep & the ongoing weight debate.\u00a0<\/b>If you\u2019ve struggled to maintain a healthy weight, counting calories or carbs aren\u2019t nearly as strong a strategy as getting a good night\u2019s sleep. Poor bedtime habits means lower levels of leptin (the hormone that\u2019s instrumental in appetite control) and higher levels of ghrelin (the hormone that tells you to head to the fridge again). You\u2019ll have a 50% higher risk of being obese if you sleep less than five hours a night. Yikes.<\/p>\n

Without enough sleep, your body is prompted to release higher amounts of\u00a0insulin<\/a>\u00a0after you eat. Insulin not only controls your blood sugar, but how and when fat is stored. Higher insulin levels send a signal to your body to hang on to fat.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re hitting the gym or doing yoga at home, exercise also plays a key role in weight management<\/a>. But when you\u2019re tired, the motivation to get moving nosedives. What\u2019s more, a no-pain, no-gain strategy won\u2019t work either. Our ability to withstand pain plummets with sleep deprivation. So those tough yoga poses and muscle burn at the end of your set of weight repetitions feel even more uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

Lack of sleep & your ability to balance properly. <\/b><\/b>Sleeplessness really does affect us from head to toe \u2013 literally. If you\u2019re fatigued, you\u2019ll be more unsteady on your feet. Balance and coordination suffer, making you more apt to have an accident or fall.<\/p>\n

Doctors describe insomnia as the inability to sleep without interruption. Acute or short term insomnia can be as short as one night of sleeplessness. It might be caused by a stressful situation like a job loss, death or hormone fluctuations. Chronic insomnia can last for years and can put you at risk for serious health issues. If your inability to sleep lasts longer than 3 weeks, it\u2019s time to involve a\u00a0certified sleep doctor<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Rest well & wake up ready to go!<\/h2>\n

Better sleep gives rise to better mornings, bringing your goals into focus and dreams within reach. Hungry for more sleep info? Dig into these posts:<\/p>\n