Lack of sleep does more harm than leaving you with dark circles. While short-term effects can be brain fog, lack of concentration, and fatigue, the long term effects are much worse. All individuals should get a sound sleep of at least 8 hours though it may vary depending on your age and occupation. However, many factors like stress, health issues like sleep apnea can cause a hindrance in this. The long-term effects range from physical as well as mental health issues.
Here are some health risks you might have to deal with if you suffer from lack of sleep or insomnia
1. Skin Aging
Lack of sleep can make you look tired and older than you are. People who are deprived of sleep experience sallow skin and puffy eyes. Chronic sleep loss can cause lackluster skin, dark circles under the eyes, and fine lines, which rob the skin of its beauty.
The growth hormone is released during deep sleep. Without proper sleep, the skin is unable to repair the damage caused due to stress. Stress is known to have an adverse effect on your skin health. Hence, ample sleep is a must for skin health and to beat stress.
2. Dementia
According to WebMD, there is a U-shaped curve when it comes to sleep length and cognitive decline. If you sleep too much or too little, several health issues may arise. Lack of sleep is more likely to increase the risk of dementia. If you are having trouble sleeping, especially if you are in your 50s and 60s, consult a healthcare practitioner. While this does not necessarily mean you have Dementia, your healthcare practitioner can help you figure out what is causing you sleep troubles.
3. Cardiac Problems
Many health problems such as heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes are associated with lack of sleep. The damage caused to the body due to insufficient sleep is severe and sometimes, irreparable.
Research has shown that 90% of people with insomnia also have another health condition. Insufficient sleep increases cardiovascular risk factors including blood pressure, glucose metabolism, hormonal regulation, and inflammation.
4. Obesity
Sufficient sleep is crucial for a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index). People who are on a diet plan to lose weight must make it a point to get enough sleep, at least 7-8 hours each night. Lack of sleep is closely related to an increase in hunger and appetite, and possibly to obesity.
One study reported that people who sleep less than six hours a day were almost 30 percent more likely to become obese than those who slept 7-9 hours. Multiple epidemiological studies have linked short-sleep duration and poor-sleep quality to obesity risk.6
5. Respiratory Problems
Waking up throughout the night can leave you more vulnerable to respiratory infections like, common cold and flu. Existing respiratory diseases like chronic lung illness can also become worse due to inadequate sleep. This is because your immune system is being prevented from building its defences. The immune system produces infection-fighting elements like antibodies and cytokines that fend off viruses and bacteria.
6. Affects Intelligence
Sleep performs an important role in thinking and learning. Insufficient sleep affects cognitive processes in many ways. The results of sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness are especially problematic to college students. It can result in lower grade point averages, increased risk of academic failure, compromised learning, and impaired mood.7 Lack of sleep also impairs attention, reasoning, concentration, alertness, and problem-solving, making it difficult to learn efficiently.8
7. Depression
A recent study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University, United State, has found a connection between depression and sleep problems. People with insomnia have ten times more chances of developing depression than those who get a good night’s sleep, according to the researchers. Patrick H Finan, an expert in behavioural medicine and sleep researcher at Johns Hopkins Hospital says, “Poor sleep may create difficulties regulating emotions that, in turn, may leave you more vulnerable to depression in the future—months or even years from now. And depression itself is associated with sleep difficulties such as shortening the amount of restorative slow-wave sleep a person gets each night.”
8. Effect on Endocrine System
Sleep deprivation can impact the production of hormones. That means endocrine disorders, in particular metabolic disorders, can impact your body. An interruption in growth hormone production can adversely impact the growth of muscle mass and repair cells as well as tissues, along with other functions. Full functioning of the pituitary gland, too, requires adequate sleep