The effect of insomnia on your body
Many people consider puffy dark circles and dark circles to be the worst consequences of sleep deprived lifestyles;
Because of those changes on our face, they are easy to notice, but also easily masked with a little makeup.
What we don't immediately see is what the lack of sleep does to the rest of the body, inside and out.
So today, we're going to point out the negative consequences of sleep deprivation.
Why do we lose sleep?
Insufficient sleep or lack of sleep can be an acute or chronic condition and it occurs because the time we regularly sleep less than 7 hours at night.
There are a lot of reasons why we're a sleep-deprived country, but in most cases it's because we chose that.
We can make those changes to bring sleep back into balance, but why is it so difficult?
Like an epidemic, sleep deprivation is rife for generations;
According to the American Sleep Association, about 35% of adults sleep less than 7 hours, while the amount of sleep for adults is between 7 and 9 hours.
Although the consequences and risks of sleep deprivation are often mentioned, it doesn't seem like enough for people to start questioning habits that endanger their health.
In addition to the obvious downsides of fatigue, daytime sleepiness, mood swings, and eye bags, below we've listed some of the more serious side effects of sleep deprivation.
While we are sleeping, our bodies are working and producing protective substances such as cytokines, which are responsible for fighting various bacteria and viruses.
Lack of sleep prevents the optimal production of these substances and weakens our immune systems, making us more susceptible to infections and diseases.
Lack of sleep can increase our cravings.
This is why cravings and late-night snacking can quickly become another addictive and unhealthy habit.
Due to our changing taste, many people who sleep less often experience weight gain and increase their risk of diabetes.
In more severe cases, when the person sleeps less than 6 or 5 hours, there is an increased risk of developing high blood pressure.
Sleep regulates our stress hormone levels, so when we don't get enough, our body's ability to manage stress is affected and leads to higher blood pressure.
Our attention and memory are also affected when we don't get enough sleep, which can lead to even fatal consequences if we are driving, such as driving.
However, with just one night of enough sleep, our memory can improve, which shows the power of sleep.
Lack of sleep not only reduces sex drive, but also has a serious impact on people trying to conceive.
The production of reproductive hormones is regulated by the same parts of the brain, which control our circadian rhythms.
Sleeping less than seven hours lowers the levels of testosterone and other hormones that control ovulation.
In chronic extreme cases of insomnia, there is a risk of developing mental disorders.
It is believed that mental problems cause sleep problems because most patients have some difficulty with their sleep.
But it seems that it could also work in the opposite direction as sleep deprived people may experience a pendulum of emotional sublime.
Their symptoms may resemble those of schizophrenia and include hallucinations, delusions, disorientation, etc.
If you think good sleep is a myth, you're wrong.
Healthy sleep habits are one of the reasons why many people look so fresh and young.
During sleep, our body produces a higher amount of growth hormone and restores all cells in the body, acting as the process of rejuvenating our skin and muscles.
With nap we don't get that, which is why our skin tends to look pale, dull and tired.
How to regain your sleep?
Getting more sleep is one of the easier said things to do, and people who lack sleep for weeks or months should seek professional help.
At a sleep clinic, you can do a sleep study to check your current sleep habits and diagnose a sleep disorder.
Diagnosis is the first and easiest step because in most cases successful treatment requires a change in behavior.
It takes a while to pay off your sleeping debt, but it's worth it.
You need to schedule a time to really get 7 or 8 hours of sleep.
After a few days, it all gets a lot easier, and you will quickly start to feel better.
The drug is prescribed only when other treatments have not shown any effect.
However, many over-the-counter sleeping pills can be addictive without solving the problem.
Prevent
The occasional lack of sleep at night is something we all experience from time to time, but it shouldn't become a habit.
This is especially important for adolescents and young people, the most vulnerable age groups.
Since they are still growing, they desperately need that precious sleep to help them recover.
Adults tend to ignore symptoms such as fatigue and exhaustion, because they try too hard to get things done on time.
While everyday life poses many challenges and threatening obstacles that interfere with our sleep, people should not let that endanger their health.
By putting things in perspective and acknowledging the importance of a good night's sleep, you are taking the first step needed to get a better night's sleep.