Sleeping well at night is incredibly important to your health. In fact, it is as essential as proper nutrition and exercise. But, unfortunately, there are many reasons that can prevent it. Modern people sleep much less than previous generations. And the quality of sleep also dropped.
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1. Poor Sleep Affects Weight Gain
Yes, lack of sleep leads to weight gain and thus obesity. According to research by the US National Institutes of Health, people who don’t get enough sleep weigh more than those who get enough sleep. In fact, lack of sleep is one of the strongest risk factors for obesity.
A 2008 study by the US National Institutes of Health found that 89% of children and 55% of adults with short sleep periods were very likely to be obese.
The effects of sleep on obesity can also be increased or decreased due to other factors, such as hormones and exercise motivation. Therefore, if you want to lose weight, then you need a good sleep.
2. Those Who Sleep Well Consume Fewer Calories
Studies have shown that people try to compensate for their lack of sleep with calories and therefore their appetite increases.
Sleep deprivation affects hormones – specifically, appetite hormones, as identified by the US National Institutes of Health. The peptide hormone ghrelin rises, causing hunger, while leptin, which suppresses hunger, decreases. You don’t really want to eat, you just didn’t get enough sleep.
Hence: Lack of sleep affects appetite hormones. Those who get enough sleep consume fewer calories than those who get little sleep.
3. Good Sleep Improves Concentration and Productivity
Sleep is important for various types of brain activity, including cognition, concentration, performance, and productivity. And lack of sleep can make them worse.
Research on the activities of medical interns is a good example. Interns with standard work schedules and extended working hours of more than 24 hours made 36% more medical errors than interns who slept well.
Another study found that shortened sleep time can have the same negative effects on the brain as alcohol. However, there is evidence that good sleep improves problem-solving ability and memory function in adults and children.
4. Sleepy People Make Sports Progress
The US National Institutes of Health has conducted studies showing that quality sleep improves athletic performance. Basketball players took part in the tests; those who get enough sleep have improved speed, accuracy, reaction time, and mental well-being.
There was another study on older women. A short nap had a direct impact on physical fitness. In a trial involving more than 2,800 women, the study found that poor sleep is associated with slower walking, lower grip strength and greater difficulty in performing independent activities.
5. Those Who Sleep Little Have a High Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke
The quality and duration of sleep can have a significant impact on many health risk factors. In particular, those that contribute to the development of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases.
A review of 15 medical studies found that those who do not sleep enough are more at risk for heart disease than those who sleep 7-8 hours a night.
6. Sleep Has an Impact On Sugar Metabolism And The Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes
Experiments have been conducted that have shown that restricting sleep affects blood sugar levels and reduces insulin sensitivity. Young healthy men were subjected to sleep deprivation: for 6 days in a row, they could sleep only 4 hours. This caused the symptoms of prediabetes. After returning to normal sleep duration, these symptoms disappeared after a week.
Inappropriate sleep habits affect blood sugar levels in the general population. Those who sleep less than 6 hours a night have an increased risk of developing grade 2 diabetes.
7. Lack of Sleep Is Associated with Depression
Mental disorders and illnesses such as depression are also closely associated with poor sleep and lack of sleep. Research by the US National Institutes of Health shows that 90% of people suffering from depression complain about sleep quality. They also show that poor sleep increases the risk of suicide. If you’re unable to sleep due to your old mattress then checkout this for more options:
People with sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia have complaints of depression, unlike those who do not.
8. Sleep Improves Immunity
American researchers have found that even small sleep problems negatively affect the body’s immune function. For 2 weeks, doctors monitored the development of colds in people who were nasally injected with the virus. It was found that those who slept less than 7 hours a day were 3 times more likely to get sick than those who slept for 8 hours or more.
For those with frequent colds, it is advisable to sleep more than 8 hours a night. Eating a lot of garlic can also help.
9. Poor Sleep Increases Inflammation
Sleep quality can have an impact on inflammation. It has been found that sleep deprivation activates cell damage and increased inflammation.
In inflammatory processes in the intestine, lack of sleep leads to prolonged inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.
People with Crohn’s disease (also known as granulomatous enteritis or regional terminal ileitis) who do not sleep much are 2 times more likely to relapse than those who have no sleep problems.
To accurately predict the course of severe inflammatory diseases, researchers even recommend assessing sleep quality.
10. Sleep Affects Emotions and Social Interaction
Lack of sleep reduces your ability to socialize.
The Swedish Institute for Stress Research and the University of Calgary, Canada have conducted independent research on sleep deprivation and empathy. Face recognition tests were used.
Another test, conducted by the Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory at the University of California, found that people who were awake began to poorly recognize expressions of anger and happiness.
The researchers believe that sleep deprivation and poor quality sleep affect the ability to recognize important social cues as well as read the emotions of others.
To sleep well and get enough sleep, you need to get serious about your bedroom. It is not enough to choose a beautiful and comfortable bed, you need a mattress on which you will feel comfortable all night long.