By Deborah Rowe
We know it’s in our best interests to clock at least seven hours of sleep each night, yet we constantly fail to do so, be it to catch up on that extra pile of work, to study for a test the next day, or to party all night long.
As you feel the immediate effects of your lack of shut-eye the very next day and attempt to counter it with a cup of coffee or two, the effects go way beyond feeling groggy and sleepy that day.
You’ve probably thought just one night of a lack of sleep won’t affect you that badly, but add up all those nights up and it just might. For instance, a U.K. study in 2013 revealed that just 1 week of insufficient sleep led to over 700 genetic changes that could lead to dangerous consequences such as heart diseases and increased cancer risk.
We’ve listed some of the side effects of sleep deprivation for you to take note of so hopefully you’ll put in the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep every night!
- You will look less attractive
This is probably as straightforward as it gets: The less sleep you get, the less attractive you’ll look.
After a few long nights, you’ll not just be breaking out with a pimple or two, you might also sport swollen eyelids, bloodshot eyes and dark under-eye circles.
- Your blood pressure will be raised
You’ve most likely thought – what’s sleeping an hour less to catch up on your favourite show or to finish up with work; how could that really affect me?
Well as it turns out, missing just an additional hour of sleep over the course of approximately five years could increase your risk for hypertension by a whooping 37 percent, which could potentially lead to various cardiovascular problems such as a heart attack!
- Your brain will go to sleep
You might not have heard of this term but it’s probably as dangerous as they come. Microsleep is a temporary episode of sleep, which may last for as short as a second or up to 30 seconds. Here, the brain goes to sleep involuntarily and is likely to happen when one engages in a monotonous activity.
It might not seem that scary, but what if this were to happen to you while you were driving just like this poor teen in the article. Even a second of shut-eye might lead to a possible accident and not just endanger you at the wheel, but those inside the vehicle as well!
- You will suffer from memory loss
Ever wondered why you have difficultly recalling some memories despite them happening not too long ago? Well, it might be very well due to a lack of sleep!
During deep sleep, your brain generates waves that carry your memories of the day from the hippocampus – where your memories are temporarily stored – to the prefrontal cortex – for long term storage. A lack of deep sleep causes a “medial prefrontal cortex gray-matter atrophy”, which affects the pathways between the two storages, leaving your memories “trapped” in the short term part of the mind, which will eventually be replaced by new ones.
- You will gain weight
Have you ever realised the less you sleep, the hungrier you tend to be during the day? There’s a good reason for this as studies show having less than six hours of rest increases the production of the hunger hormone ghrelin, and limits leptin – which is responsible for balancing your food intake.
Furthermore, another study also showed those who are sleep deprived tend to opt for larger portion sizes during meals.
So if you’re on a weight loss journey, remember to clock in at least seven hours of sleep daily to keep your appetite in check!
- You’ll increase your chances of getting a stroke
A stroke is caused when there is a problem with the blood supply to the brain, be it whether the supply is blocked or if a blood vessel in the brain ruptures. While it’s commonly noted that the main risk factors for stroke include smoking and leading an inactive lifestyle, research shows that not getting enough sleep might also increase your stroke risk.
A study at the SLEEP 2012 conference revealed that those who get less than six hours of sleep ever night will have an increased stroke risk, with these people having up to “four times increased risk of experiencing these stroke symptoms” compared to those who clocked at least seven to eight hours of sleep.
- You’ll get sick more often
If you tend to get sick pretty often, you might want to try sleeping in much earlier to clock a full seven to eight hours of beauty rest.
When you sleep, your immune system produces protective cytokines and infection fighting antibodies and cells, which fight off foreign substances that may cause illnesses. With a lack of sleep, your immune system doesn’t have the chance to build a fortress to ward off infection as elaborated in this study.
- You’ll increase your chances of getting cancer
Cancer is extremely complicated, with many possible causes for its various forms. While it’s commonly linked to genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors, one can increase your chance of getting certain types of cancers due to a lack of sleep.
A 2010 study showcased that a quarter of its participants who were diagnosed for colorectal cancer, out of 1200 participants, averaged less than six hours of sleep a night.
Another study revealed that men who suffer from insomnia may be at increased risk of prostrate cancer, emphasising the fact that lack of sleep can increase one’s chance of getting cancer.
Furthermore, a 2012 study also highlighted that women may potentially develop a more aggressive form of breast cancer should they lack sleep.
- You’ll die younger
As it turns out, sleeping more might be one of the best ways to ensure you live longer! A 2010 study showed that women who slept between 6.5 to 7.5 hours a night were associated with the best mortality rates, while another study found that men who slept for less than six hours a night were four times more likely to pass away over a 14-year-period.
