A good night sleep is a must; it is however taken for granted by busy bees. Though one would usually make up for lack of sleep by sleeping longer during the day, a 'good night' sleep is actually important as the body rejuvenates within 10pm to 2am. It may be unavoidable at times, but your sleeping patterns can sometimes be harmful as it causes numerous health problems.
As per a survey done by Simple Organic Life, 48% of Americans stated that they don't have enough sleep, and a higher value was exhibited by individuals aging 35 to 54 years old.
A research was done by a team from the University of Chicago which stated that lack of sleep may result to obesity and diabetes. It was cited that fatty acids affects the speed of an individual's metabolism and its ability to regulate blood sugars. People who don't get enough sleep are diagnosed with fatty acid build up, resulting to a slower metabolic process. Those who have less sleep have higher fatty acid levels than that of those who were able to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep.
Another study which was conducted in 2013 by the researchers at the John Hopkins University stated that lack of sleep can increase the chances of Alzheimer's disease. Continuous sleep deprivation can actually speed up the disease's progress. As per the researchers, adequate sleep is needed by the brain for it to get rid of 'cerebral waste'. These unwanted toxins often cause dementia.
Another study pointed out that lack of sleep causes cardio vascular diseases. As per reports, poor sleeping patterns deteriorate the cardiovascular system. One study emerged that 675 Russian men from the age of 25 to 64 were studied in a span of 14 years. 2/3 of the men who had heart attacks underwent sleeping disorders as well.
Aside from one's physical health, mental health is affected by lack of sleep as well. Sleep deprivation is known to slow down brain activity and can sometimes cause depression.
