Oftentimes we rely on coffee and a miracle to get us up and out the door in the morning. But when this becomes an everyday deal, your body may be in trouble. We may not notice if we get lack of sleep because our schedules are so jam packed that we have no other options. Catching a few extra z’s in the morning may mean skipping breakfast, skipping a workout, or not waking up to take your kids to school — not exactly options. We may even get used to the side effects of no sleep that we are unaware just how ingrained they’ve become in our daily lives. This includes: mood swings, diminished productivity, weight gain, puffy eyes and face, no sex drive, and drowsiness.
Combined lack of sleep from a tight schedule to lack of sleep from our computers, phones, TVs and any other screens we stare at during the day. A story in The New York Times reports that blue-spectrum light, the light that is emitted from energy-efficient light bulbs as well as electronic gadgets, actually inhibits our production of melatonin. So while we scroll through Instagram or Facebook on our phones immediately before falling asleep, we are actually hurting the chances of getting a good night’s rest.
Living with no sleep is detrimental to our health and, quite possibly, our longevity. Read on to see how skimping on sleep is sabotaging your health, and what you can do to turn your bad sleep habits around.1. You could develop serious depression
Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night, but the average American often falls short. When we lack sleep we are increasing our risk for depression because normal sleep is a restorative state. When we lose sleep, we are more irritable and have more tension, which can cause stress in our jobs and relationships. When we are irritable and unhappy, we workout less. Lack of activity is related to mood swings and other mood problems. This vicious cycle can lead to a very depressive life.
2. Memory loss
When we are tired, we often stumble on our words, put the keys in the refrigerator or mess up simple daily tasks because we fail to pay attention. Sleep deprivation can actually lead to permanent cognitive issues, at least according to one study. A story about the research in ScienceDaily says, “However, in older adults, memories may be getting stuck in the hippocampus due to the poor quality of deep ‘slow wave’ sleep, and are then overwritten by new memories, the findings suggest.” Our brain can literally deteriorate the less sleep we get, especially as we age.
3. Increased risk of stroke
Many equate risk of stroke to a sedentary lifestyle filled with other vices like cigarettes and fatty foods. Yes, this is true. But those who get fewer than six hours of sleep per night may be four times as likely to have a stroke.
4. Hurt your heart
Another study in 2011 showed that lack of sleep can actually increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Also the stress of too little sleep can cause the body to release more chemicals and hormones that lead to heart disease.
5. Increased cancer risk
People who sleep less than six hours a night are at a greater risk for cancer. One study showed that a shorter duration of sleep significantly increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Less than six hours of sleep also showsan increased recurrence of breast cancer, especially among post-menopausal breast cancer patients
6. Kill you at young age
This is the scariest of them all. There’s been a lot of research about the link between mortality and sleep deprivation, and the news is not good for those who aren’t getting enough rest. According to a meta-analysis, those who get the least amount of sleep are more likely to die.
Is it too late? No! Make it a priority to get more sleep each night. Put your phone down, go to sleep at the same time every night and wake up at the same time, eat healthy, drink water, and stay positive. It’s never too late to start a healthy habit and reset your internal clock.
Article courtesy of Harvard Health publications
No comments:
Post a Comment