Our body is created to support us. However, we should provide it with enough support too for it to function optimally. We have all had sleepless nights tossing and turning, which impacts the quality of our next day.
That is why sleep is essential to ensure your mental and physical health. Science has proven that poor sleep quality can lead to many health problems. Here is a list of the main short-term and long-term effects you might face due to sleep deprivation.
Short-Term Effects Of Sleep Deprivation
It doesn’t take long for your body to manifest the effects of sleep deprivation. Even one night of poor sleep can lead to you feeling grumpy and groggy. Here are some of the short-term effects you will start noticing because of sleep deprivation:
1. Trouble With Focus And Thinking
It is incredibly challenging to focus when your brain is not working at its optimal capacity. Your creativity, focus, thinking, and problem-solving skills will be affected when you don’t get enough rest. That is because your brain needs to rest for at least seven hours each night.
Even a day or two of poor sleep will lead you to have trouble with your concentration and thinking. Your brain cell activity will be lowered, and it will only worsen with time if you don’t get proper rest.
2. Mood Changes
Have you ever tossed and turned all night and felt incredibly irritated at the smallest of things the next day? All of us have experienced this because the loss of sleep directly impacts our mood. We get quick-tempered, emotional, and agitated at the smallest of issues.
Chronic sleep deprivation can also lead to depression and anxiety, which can escalate if you don’t get proper sleep. That is why you need to make sure your body gets enough rest at night. It will help you feel happy and positive every day.
3. Low Sex Drive
Yes, not getting enough sleep can lead to a lower libido. Many studies have found that the decreased sex drives in men because of loss of sleep can be due to the drop in testosterone levels. Because of this drop, the libido is underactive.
So, if you want a healthy sex life, you need to get at least seven hours of rest at night. It will ensure that your body functions properly and your libido does not get affected. Once you get enough sleep, you will enjoy healthy sex life.
Long-Term Effects Of Sleep Deprivation
Now that you are familiar with the short-term effects of sleep deprivation, let’s talk about the long-term impact on the body. Chronic sleep deprivation is one of the worst problems to occur as it can affect the way your mind and body works for a long time. Here are the long-term effects of sleep deprivation you might face:
1. Weight Loss Or Gain
When you are not getting enough sleep, your appetite will be affected. That is because the chemicals in your body that signal you if you are hungry or full will be off-balance. Because of this, you will either eat too much or too little.
To maintain a balance of these chemicals, you need to have a good quality sleep each night. If you don’t, you can start gaining or losing weight in a few weeks. Most people start gaining weight because they are up all night, and they eat at odd times due to sleep deprivation.
2. Weak Immune System
Our immunity is strengthened when our body is working optimally after getting a good night’s rest. Loss of sleep can lead to weakened immunity, and your body will not be able to defend itself against common colds and viruses. You will fall sick more often, and your overall health will get affected.
To boost immunity, you need to ensure adequate rest each night. It will guarantee that your body is working in the best way possible and can help defend you against germs of common flu and viruses. So, if you don’t want to fall sick too often, get quality sleep each night.
3. Diabetes Risk
A lack of sleep has a direct impact on the insulin levels (a blood sugar-lowering hormone) in your body. When you don’t get enough sleep for a long time, your insulin levels will rise. If this keeps happening, you will be at high risk of type 2 diabetes.
That is why it is imperative that you get a good night’s sleep every night. If you have a family history of diabetes, you will be at a higher risk than most people out there. So sleep well to ensure your blood sugar levels are regulated optimally.
4. Memory Problems
Chronic lack of sleep will impact your short and long-term memory. You will have difficulty recalling things because the connections that your brain forms to remember new information will be affected. These connections are formed during our sleep as our brain works to help store information we will need later. Therefore, your memory will be affected. An adequate amount of quality sleep will help your brain to get to work during sleep and ensure that you are ready to seize the next day.
If the issues above sound familiar to you and you are struggling with getting adequate quality sleep consistently – it might be a good time to take charge of your health.
When your goals are to stay healthy, slow the process of aging and maintain a healthy weight, good sleep is absolutely essential.
If your sleep has been off for some time or you think you could use better sleep, let me introduce you to the Sleep Deeply 10 weeks program.
I will work with you throughout 10 weeks to improve the quality of your sleep so you can enhance your overall health.
And as a limited time offer: I am offering a complimentary session this month for the first 10 clients to sign up below, who are struggling with sleep. Please click on the link below to schedule your FREE session now.
