It has been suggested for some time that individuals get at least eight hours of sleep every night; many think this is quite profound. Most people understand that if they don’t get enough sleep, at the very least, they may be irritable and lack energy the next day. However, there are consequences to not getting enough rest that are far more serious then this.
Sleep contributes more then just ensuring that you have a sharp mind the next day. While your body is at rest, it is recharging and healing itself. It is working to fix chemical imbalances and ensuring that your blood sugar levels are at the proper levels for the following day. Not sleeping enough doesn’t give your body the opportunity to do things that it needs to do to keep you healthy.
Sleep is also very important when it comes to maintaining your ability to memorize and recall things. There are also mental consequences to a lack of sleep. As stated earlier, your mind may become more groggy and it may be more difficult to remember things when you don’t sleep enough. Even more serious is that a lack of sleep can also lead to depression and negatively affect your mood.
Another consequence of a lack of sleep is weight gain. When you do not sleep enough your body makes more of the stress hormone Cortisol. Cortisol can lead to weight gain especially in the belly area, impaired memory and high blood pressure.
When you go to sleep at night your body experiences different REM cycles. You must fall into a deep sleep so that your body can repair itself. If you do not allow your body to fully do so because of you are consistently going to sleep late at night and subsequently not getting enough rest or are constantly waking up at night, you don’t fall into a deep enough level of sleep your body to heal itself and do the things that it needs to do.
While it’s common for many high school and college aged students to get by on little or even no sleep, this a very bad habit to develop especially as one ages. Sleep is very important for both the mental and physical health aspects of each person. Individuals may be able to get away with not sleeping much while they are younger. However, as they get older, this will take more and more of a toll on the body every year. For this reason, it is a good idea to establish good sleeping habits early.
If a person is unable to sleep due to medical reasons, it is important that the cause of one’s sleeplessness is determined so that it can be properly treated. If it is not, chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension may develop, people may fall into depression, gain weight and make more mistakes at work, school or while driving which can be very serious and perhaps even fatal. Your doctor may subscribe some type of medication, suggest that you visit a counselor or simply cut back on activities that are causing you stress. It may take a while to pin down the cause and the solution but don’t give up. Finally being able to sleep will be well worth it.