Chronic sleep loss
Chronic sleep loss
Chronic sleep loss, even just a few hours a night over a prolonged period of time, can have devastating effects on one’s health.
With technology at our fingertips and high demands on our time, putting off sleep is an easy habit to fall in to.
Here’s what the Harvard Women’s Health Watch says about getting enough sleep:
Learning and memory
Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation.
In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.
Metabolism and weight
Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.
Safety
Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime.
These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.
Mood
Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness.
Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.
Cardiovascular health
Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.
Disease
Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells.
Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.
Here are some more resources to help you:
