Lack of Sleep: Causes and How it affects our health!

Lack of sleep is a common yet frequently overlooked health problem that we hear people complaining about. At one time, sleep was considered an inactive phase in which the body and the brain rest from the day’s activities. But scientists have found that the brain goes through different patterns of activity throughout the sleep cycle and even it is sometimes more active when we are asleep.

Sleep loss in adults is generally referred to sleep of shorter duration (less than 7 to 8 hours per night). Feeling sleepy during the day, depressed mood and poor memory are a few symptoms of sleep loss.

We need sleep to maintain proper body functions and health. In fact we sleep each night as a means of restoring our bodies and minds.

The 2 major causes of lack of sleep are:

1. Lifestyle/ occupational like shift jobs, prolonged working hours, irregular sleep schedules, jet lags, etc
2. Sleep disorders like insomnia, sleep disordered breathing, etc.

How does lack of sleep affect our health?

The data proves that lack of sleep can lead to:

1. Obesity: When a person sleeps less than 7 hours, he/ she tends to be more obese. In fact the shorter the duration of sleep the greater the obesity.
2. Diabetes and Impaired glucose tolerance: People who sleep for 5 hours or less are more at risk of diabetes.
3. Cardiovascular disease and hypertension: Sleep loss and sleep complaints are associated with heart attacks and stroke. The conditions responsible for this could be high blood pressure, sympathetic hyperactivity or impaired glucose tolerance.
4. Anxiety, Depression and Alcohol use: Sleep loss is associated with adverse effects on mood and behavior. Adults with severe sleep loss report mental distress, symptoms of depression, anxiety and alcohol use.

Here we have seen how important a good duration of sleep is. So, remember to sleep longer or take a short nap in between (no more than 2 hours).

Source:- 1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19960/pdf/Bookshelf_NBK19960.pdf 

                2. https://sleep.hms.harvard.edu/education-training/public-education/sleep-and-health-education-program/sleep-health-education-47