Sleep – How Important Is Your Snooze!!

Sleep is as important to human body as the air we breathe & the food we eat. The wear & tear of body takes place when we sleep. Thus sleep keeps us physically & mentally fit.

Sleep deprivation is a term used to describe a state caused by inadequate quantity of sleep or poor quality of sleep. This can be either short-term or chronic. In short term, a lack of adequate sleep can affect judgment, mood & ability to learn, retain information & thereby may increase risk of serious accidents & injury. In the long term, chronic sleep deprivation may lead to numerous health problems including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease & even early mortality.


Sleep deprivation affects every system of the body -

Cardiovascular System:
Sleep plays a vital role in your body’s ability to heal & repair blood vessels & heart. Sleep deprivation can lead to higher risk of chronic health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, & stroke. For people with hypertension or pre-hypertension, even one night without enough sleep can cause an elevated blood pressure all through the next day.

Immune System: During sleep, the immune system produces protective cytokines & infection-fighting antibodies & cells to fight off bacteria & viruses. Sleep deprivation disrupts immune system. Recovery from illness may also take longer due to sleep deprivation. The cytokines & other protective substances also help get better sleep, giving immune system more energy to defend against illnesses.


Respiratory System: Since sleep deprivation weakens immune system, it increases vulnerability to respiratory problems like common cold & influenza. A chronic lung disease will eventually worsen due to sleep deprivation. 

Central Nervous System: Sleep is of vital importance for proper functioning of central nervous system. Sleep deprivation leaves brain exhausted & thus affecting its functioning. It leads to a feeling of fatigue, impairs attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning & problem solving. 

Digestive System: Several studies have linked insufficient sleep & weight gain. It has been observed that people who habitually sleep less than six hours per night are much more likely to have a higher than average Body Mass Index (BMI) & that people who sleep eight or more hours have the lowest BMI. Poor sleep is also associated with increases in secretion of insulin following a meal, which in turn promotes fat storage leading to weight gain, a risk factor for diabetic patients.

Lack of Sex Drive: Sleep specialists say that sleep-deprived men & women report lower libidos & display less interest in sex. 



 

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