- Lack of sleep - why do we need to sleep?
- Lack of sleep - what are the effects of not getting enough sleep?
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Several years ago, every third Pole complained about sleep problems. Currently, every second. This is a dangerous trend, because lack of sleep is not only about bloodshot and dark circles under the eyes and feeling tired during the day. Sleep deprivation increases the risk of developing many diseases, including cancer. What are the other effects of not getting enough sleep?
Lack of sleephas a negative impact on our he alth. Scientists have calculated thatsleeping less than 6 hours a day increases the likelihood of premature death by 12% . Women complain of problems with sleep more often. In Europe, as many as 64% of women and 36% of men sleep too short. In Poland, this problem affects 61% of women and 39% of men. People over 60 years of age complain about the lack of sleep.
Sleep deprivation is a global trend, and while many doctors believe that the amount of sleep is an individual matter, they adhere to physiological limits to the minimum amount of sleep needed to fully rest the body. According to specialists , sleep lasting less than 5 hours is too shortand its optimal length should be 7-8 hours. Meanwhile, most of us sleep around 6 hours, which is below the adopted minimum.
Lack of sleep - why do we need to sleep?
There are many theories. Some scholars claim that during sleep the experiences that we have learned, the things we have learned, come to order. Others say that sleep regulates the action of hormones. Still others claim that sleep allows all cells in our body to regenerate.
This does not mean, however, that our body stops functioning during sleep. On the contrary, there is constant work in the brain, endocrine glands, digestive tract, circulatory system and respiratory system.
For example: the cerebral cortex is not able to turn off at night, despite the darkness and closed eyes. He is on constant alert to respond to sudden stimulus that will wake us up when needed.
Regeneration of brain cells requires the same amount of glucose and oxygen to be supplied to them as during the day. That is why vital organs have to work. The heart pumps a constant amount of blood, the lungs are rhythmically filled with oxygen, the adrenal glands produce cortisol, the highest concentration of which appears in the body in the morning and immediately after waking up.
Secretion of prolactinalso increases with the passing of the night, peaking in the morning.
Gastric juice is produced in a smaller amount during sleep, but in people with peptic ulcer, its amount increases several times, which can lead to a sudden exacerbation of the disease.
10 commandments of a good night's sleep - check it out!
Lack of sleep - what are the effects of not getting enough sleep?
There are really many of them. Some are hard to believe, but they are confirmed by numerous scientific studies. So what do we need to consider if we don't get enough sleep on a regular basis?
Weight gain
Getting enough sleep helps to control weight, and vice versa, sleep disturbance contributes to weight gain. Fatigue from not getting enough sleep discourages from taking up physical activity.
The physiological consequence of sleep deprivation is an endocrine disruption. Sleep allows you to maintain an optimal balance of hormones that trigger the feeling of hunger (thanks to ghrelin) or satiety (thanks to leptin).
Lack of sleep causes ghrelin levels to increase and leptin levels to decrease. The result of these changes is that we have a greater appetite for high-calorie foods.
When we are sleepy, we also eat larger portions, and when shopping, we choose unhe althy food more often. In short, chronic lack of sleep can cause obesity.
Cognitive impairment
Excessive sleepiness disrupts memory, thinking, and information processing. It has a negative impact on making decisions or focusing attention.
Research has shown that sleep deprived people solve logical or math problems much worse compared to rested people.
Weird behavior, such as leaving the keys to the apartment in the refrigerator, is also much more common.
Eye disorders
Due to the lack of adequate sleep, eye fatigue appears, which we feel as pain, eyelid spasms, redness, dark circles under the eyes, redness, dry eyes or photophobia. There are also known cases of optic nerve edema caused by an increase in intracranial pressure in states of chronic sleep deprivation.
Ophthalmologists also say that constant eye strain can increase the risk of glaucoma, and uncontrolled progression of this disease causes irreversible damage to the optic nerve, which can result in blindness.
In some people the field of view becomes narrow or the so-called double vision. It also happens that people who are sleepy experience the so-called vision tunnel, that is, bright light in the tunnel. It is related to insufficient blood supply to the eyeball.
Difficulty with lightby saying
People who are sleepy often find it difficult to clearly formulate their thoughts. They usually speak monotonously, slowly and indistinctly, as if they were "swallowing" word endings.
They repeat single words or whole phrases, which makes it difficult to understand the meaning of the speech.
Headaches
This is a very common symptom that is related to sleep deficiency and poor quality. For migraine sufferers, too little sleep or restless sleep will increase the number of attacks. But it is worth adding that too long sleep can also provoke an attack.
People with sleep apnea and RLS are the most likely to complain of morning headaches.
Reduced immunity
Too short sleep (less than 7 hours) lowers the natural immunity of our body. After just one sleepless day, the immune system begins to weaken. And when it is weakened, it produces fewer cytotoxic lymphocytes needed to fight microorganisms.
Inflammatory cytokines levels rise, facilitating the development of inflammation. The activity of macrophages increases, stimulating the vascularization of tissues, which promotes the formation of cancer cells. Cortisol levels rise, lowering the production of leukocytes in the thymus gland. This leads to a reduction in their defense potential.
The immune system follows a circadian rhythm. Cortisol is a stress hormone that affects our well-being. The level of melatonin, which is responsible for the removal of free radicals, is lowered. So if we skip the hours of sleep and disturb this rhythm, we will weaken the body's defenses.
Weakened intestines
Poor sleep quality affects the functioning of the intestinal microflora. But it's also true that low levels of probiotic bacteria in the gut can contribute to poor sleep quality. According to the latest research, it is a mutual interaction.
The hormones responsible for the sleep-wake cycle are influenced by a balanced bacterial flora. The influence of probiotics on the mood - through sleep - minimizes stress. Disturbed intestinal microflora is disturbed sleep.
The relationship between the digestive system and the neurochemical functioning of the brain shows a close relationship.
Long-term lack of sleep increases the risk of developing IBD, mainly in the small or large intestine. With insufficient sleep, the symptoms of intestinal diseases, such as Crohn's disease, also increase.
Increased urine secretion
During a he althy sleep, the body slows down the production of urine, so you don't have to go to the bathroom.
When we are awake, urine production is the same as during the day and we have to go to the toilet frequently.
Reduced sex drivesexual
Testosterone is an important component of sex drive and desire in both men and women. Sleep supports the production of testosterone, and lack of sleep and sleep disturbances in consequence lead to sexual dysfunction and decreased libido, and even to sexual dysfunction.
Heart disease
There are many studies confirming the fact that lack of sleep contributes to the deterioration of the circulatory system. In people who sleep for a short time (4-5 hours a day) or complain about the quality of sleep, blood pressure increases significantly, which promotes the development of hypertension.
In addition, lack of sleep contributes to an increase in the number of C-reactive proteins, which in turn contribute to an increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases. People who are chronically sleepy are more likely to suffer from heart attacks and strokes.
Type 2 diabetes
The risk of developing the disease increases not only in obese people. It turns out that tired and sleepy people are also more susceptible to it. This is because too long wakefulness disturbs metabolism, and this is the main cause of the development of type 2 diabetes.
It has also been proven that in people with pre-diabetes, proper rest and 7-8 hours of sleep significantly reduce the risk of developing the disease.
Emotional instability
People who don't have enough sleep are very irritable. They overreact to difficult situations, often get angry or, on the contrary, withdraw. They are constantly aroused, which is not conducive to good interpersonal relationships.
Insomnia doubles the possibility of developing depression. Preliminary research also suggests that treating sleep disorders may be successful in treating depressive symptoms.
Cancer and genetic disorders
During sleep, 75% of the cells of the immune system regenerate. Preliminary studies seem to indicate that people who don't get enough sleep are at risk of developing certain types of cancer, especially colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer.
Every night without sleep led to DNA damage by nearly 25%. Defective DNA can cause cell death due to genomic instability. Damage can also result in abnormal cell changes, including neoplastic changes. An increased risk of chronic disease has also been observed.
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The quality and duration of sleep may be affected by medications taken withdue to chronic diseases In this group are:
- drugs to lower blood pressure
- against asthma
- used in Parkinson's disease
- antiepileptic drugs
- hormonal
- diuretic
- antidepressants.
Sleep is also disturbed by: caffeine, nicotine and alcohol.