At least 40% of the United States population is not getting enough sleep. Are you one of them? Late-night study sessions, new babies or a night out with friends can all lead to sleep deprivation at different times in your life. However, if you are continually not getting enough sleep it could have a huge negative impact on your health. According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep is essential for your health and wellbeing. It plays a critical role in immune function, metabolism, learning, memory and other vital functions.
What happens if you don’t get enough sleep?
It seems like such a passive activity, but sleep is a remarkably productive and critical part of our lives. When your body doesn’t get the chance to recharge properly while you sleep, you may find yourself:
- Feeling drowsy
- Feeling irritable
- Feeling depressed
- Having trouble remembering things
- Having trouble making decisions
- Experiencing difficulty taking in new information
- Craving unhealthy foods which could contribute to weight gain
When these things happen day after day, it can place a huge strain on your nervous system and overall health.
If you don’t yet realize the importance of sleep, here’s what happens to your body when you don’t get enough shut-eye under the covers.
Lack, or no sleep, can affect:
Your heart.
Not getting enough sleep can have a negative impact on your heart. You are also at greater risk of developing coronary heart diseases or having a stroke.
Your immune system.
Inadequate sleep can hinder your body’s ability to fend off illness making it much easier to get sick. Your immune system is weakened if you haven’t caught enough z’s.
Your memory.
Sleep has a big impact on learning and memory. It is critical to the process of consolidating the things we learn in the brain. When we get a good night’s rest, it helps our brain to lock in new information and commit it to memory.
Your cognition.
Memory, decision making, reasoning, reaction time and problem solving can all suffer when you miss even just one night of sleep.
Don’t forget the importance of sleep and how it can make a huge difference in your health and ultimately your life.
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