Many of us are sleep deprived. This is an interesting article about the effects of sleep deprivation and about some ways to avoid it. Here are the opening paragraphs:
At least one-third of Americans are sleep deprived. This means that they’re sleeping less than 7-9 hours a day. Considering the effects that sleep deprivation can have, this is a significant and scary number of people who are trying to live, work, drive, and function while very, very tired.
At its most basic, being sleep deprived means that you aren’t getting enough sleep. It means that you aren’t spending enough time in bed, eyes closed, heartbeat and respiration rate lowered. And it means that your body is not getting to do all of the things it needs to do while you sleep.
What are the Effects of Sleep Deprivation on the Body?
Sleep deprivation doesn’t just make us feel exhausted and irritable, it actually has some negative effects on the body. Here are just a few of the ways that sleep can keep us from living our best lives.
Sleep Deprivation Causes Unstable Blood Sugar and Weight Gain
When we’re tired, we want more energy. The way the body usually gets energy, while awake, is by eating. Thus, when we’re tired, our bodies actually consume more calories than they do when we’re well-rested. All of those extra calories have to go somewhere, and they tend to stick to the body as extra pounds.
Sleep Deprivation Harms the Immune System
When we sleep, we make necessary parts of our immune system’s fighting system. When we don’t get enough sleep, we don’t have time to make as many of these as we need to effectively fight off disease. Many of these substances also keep systemic inflammation down. When this rises, we are at higher risk for heart disease and autoimmune diseases, among others.
Sleep Deprivation Hurts the Brain
When we don’t sleep well, we don’t function well. We don’t make good choices and we aren’t able to react as well under pressure, and our attention tends to wander. We may also struggle with impulsivity. This is part of why drowsy driving is such a big problem!
In addition, sleep deprivation harms our mood. It correlates with higher levels of depression, suicidal thoughts, and paranoia.
https://www.bestmattressreviews.com/sleep-deprivation/
