Everybody knows you should get at least 7 or 8 hours of sleep a night but most of us don’t manage it. When you’re working late and getting up early, it’s difficult to fit it in. The problem is, a lot of people don’t realize how dangerous it is. They think that the only negative effect of not getting a good night’s sleep is that you’ll be tired the next day, but it’s a lot worse than that.
There are a lot of reasons that you aren’t sleeping properly and the first thing you should be doing is addressing them. One of the biggest problems these days is computer and phone screens; if you’re looking at a screen before you go to bed, the light tricks your brain into thinking that it’s still daytime and it won’t shut down. Other things like not having a regular routine for sleep or even having a messy bedroom can stop you from getting good sleep as well. In a lot of cases, people can’t get a good night’s sleep because their mattresses are old and they don’t offer enough support. Even if they can sleep, they won’t get good, restful sleep. Those are the reasons why you might not be getting enough sleep, these are some of the ways that it’s damaging your health.
Weight Gain
If you’re trying to watch what you’re eating and you’re exercising regularly but you still can’t shake that excess weight, it might be because you aren’t getting enough shut eye. When you’re sleep deprived, the chemicals in your brain that tell you when you’re full up are a bit off balance and so you think you’re hungry when you aren’t. That means you’re far more likely to eat more than you need to and put on weight. It’s also harder to find the motivation to cook healthy meals or exercise if you’re tired all of the time.
Memory Problems
When you go to sleep, your body is still working. It takes this time to form connections in the brain that help you to retain memories from the day. If you aren’t sleeping the recommended amount, your brain won’t do this effectively. That means you’ll experience problems with both your long and short term memory. If you keep forgetting things all the time, you need to get to bed a little bit earlier.
Weak Immune System
A strong immune system is the key to avoiding most illnesses and if you don’t have one, you’re going to get sick all the time. Lack of sleep weakens your immune system a lot so your body won’t be as efficient at fighting off bacteria and germs that you’re exposed to in everyday life. That means you’re far more likely to catch a cold or get the flu.
Diabetes
Not getting enough sleep affects your body’s release of insulin, the hormone that lowers blood sugar. This increases your risk of developing diabetes so if you’re also eating quite a lot of sugary foods you’re putting yourself in real danger.
Lack of sleep is far more dangerous than people realize so make sure you’re getting enough every night.
Recent Comments