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One of the greatest pleasures of life is enjoying a good night’s sleep. When your nights are crowded with tossing and turning, it is very hard to lead a happy and healthy life.
Even so, not everyone appreciates that the lack of sleep can significantly affect their lives, ranging from physical health risks and below-average mental abilities.
Sleep deprivation manifests in different ways, including too much yawning, daytime fatigue, feeling sluggish and grumpy, and irritability, among others.
Sleep is a very key part of human life, ranging between 6-9 hours every day. The lack of it can negatively affect your life as in this article:
1. Memory issues
Did you know that getting good sleep can help with memory and information retention? The central nervous system is the information highway of the body.
Sleep has a lot to do with the central nervous system, without which proper functioning of the system and the concentration of the brain is difficult.
It so happens that when you sleep, the brain forms connections with the information you have received throughout the day.
These connections allow you to better process and remember information. The concept applies to both short-term and long-term memory.
Therefore, next time you think about skipping sleep to watch a movie, remember that your memory might depend on it. Instead, rush to the store and grab the best wedge pillow with an armhole to better your sleep.
2. Immune system
The immune system in a human being is the reason you are healthy and able to fight diseases. The system produces protective substances like cytokines that help with combating foreign infections like bacteria and viruses.
Too little sleep ends up weakening your immune system. Sometimes it can be too weak that your body cannot effectively fight against common viruses like cold and the flu.
If you cannot sleep, then it means you have to spend a lot more money to protect yourself from contracting diseases.
Further, you run the risk of getting diabetes. As your immune system weakens, the body slows down in the release of insulin.
Soon, your blood sugar starts fluctuating. Hence you run the risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
3. Poor balance
Balance and coordination are connected to sleeping well. Sleep allows your body to rest and rejuvenate in preparation for an active day.
Balance and stability come from a sober mind and a healthy body. When your brain is out of tune, whether due to lack of sleep or due to alcohol and other drugs, there is usually poor balance.
Without proper sleep, you will start experiencing some physical accidents resulting from your brain being weary and tired. Slowly, your body becomes sluggish and drowsy.
4. Mood changes and headaches
When your brain is tired, it needs sleep, for up to 9 hours every day. Sleep deprivation keeps your brain alert throughout the day and night.
That said, you are likely to experience headaches during the day, along with mood changes. If sleep deprivation becomes chronic, it can result in anxiety attacks and depression.
(See also: [Detecting The Signs Of Depression] What Are The Signs To Watch Out For?)
5. Low sex drive
Like sleep, sex is an important part of life. You may not realize the connection between sleep and sex until you are no longer interested in having sex with your partner.
Your libido goes lower the more you postpone your sleep. Mostly, it is because the testosterone hormones go low.
The endocrine system of the body is concerned with producing the necessary hormones for the proper functioning of the body.
For testosterone to be produced, you need at least 3 hours of continuous and uninterrupted sleep.
6. Heart disorders
People know about heart attacks, but not so many understand that the condition of your heart can be affected by sleep deprivation.
Generally, sleep affects matters to do with the heart including blood sugar, blood pressure, and high levels of chemicals linked to inflammation, healing, and repair, among others. All these processes are supported chiefly by the heart.
Without proper sleep, you add stress to your body. It means that your heart has to cater to extra needs continuously without rest.
Such is an environment that makes you prone to the risk of stroke and heart attacks.
(See also: A Fabulous Seven-Step Daily Routine for Keeping Your Heart Healthy)
It is one thing to get busy earning a living, but it makes a whole lot of difference to care for your health.
Sleep may seem like a waste of a couple of hours, but given the health risks that are at stake, there are several unseen advantages to getting a good night’s sleep.
Invest in at least 6-8 hours of sleep every night. The more sound your slumber is, the better the results of resting.
About The Author:
Tuhin Adhikari is a content marketer at Trust Sleep. He has been a content writer and content strategist for the last five years and loves to write articles focused on balancing information of different niches such as health, fitness, and many other general niches. He spends most of his time reading books and researching topics to refine his writing skills.
