Effects of Lack of Sleep

(No,they're not good)

Are you suffering from the effects of lack of sleep?  Of course you know there are ways to tell.

Ask your spouse or partner.  That’s probably your best indicator. If s/he tells you you’re grumpy, grouchy, moody, or irritable, you might want to pay attention.

Actually, the above are some of the more minor consequences of sleep deprivation.  Let’s look at some more serious consequences.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that fatigue is a contributing factor in 100,000 car accidents every year, which causes over 1,500 deaths annually.   The population under the age of 25 is most involved in the accidents.

Chronic fatigue causes accidents at work and more sick days for each accident. How can people risk there lives like this rather than try simple solutions like the Effortless Sleep Method?

Anything Else?

Sleep deprivation also has a negative impact on your thinking abilities while you are awake.  It dumbs you down because it degrades your mental processes.  It is more difficult to pay attention and concentrate.  Your reasoning and problem solving skills are diminished.  You are simply less alert.

Your body needs adequate rest at night to give your brain time to categorize, sift through and organize the memories of the earlier day.  If you don’t provide enough sleep time for that to happen, you will find it more difficult to remember your earlier experiences.

As we continue down the list of consequences of not getting enough sleep, we see no improvement.  None at all.

Are You Trying to Encourage Me?

Sleep loss can lead to very serious health problems.  Some estimates say that as many as 90% of people with chronic sleep loss have at least one other serious health problem.  The problem could be such as:

• Diabetes
• Stroke
• Heart attack
• High blood pressure
• Irregular heart beat
• Stroke
• Heart failure

Lack of sleep also lowers the sex drive or libido.  “Later dear, I’m too tired”, is the result.

Over time, sleep deprivation can contribute to depression.  Many times people who are depressed or anxious, sleep less than six hours at night.

What About Insomnia?

Insomnia, the most common sleep disorder also has the strongest link to depression.  If you have insomnia, you are five times more likely to suffer from depression that a person without insomnia.  Insomnia is one of the first signs of depression.

Insomnia and depression are closely linked together.  One feeds off the other.   If you can’t sleep you more easily become depressed which, in turn, makes it more difficult to sleep.

Could You Use Some Good News?

The good news is that sometimes simply getting more sleep will help the symptoms of depression.

Lack of sleep stresses your body causing it to release the stress hormone cortisol.  Too much cortisol can break down skin collagen, the protein the helps keep the skin smooth and elastic.

Want to lose weight?  Be sure you’re getting enough sleep.  Apparently lack of sleep is related to increased appetite and hunger, and quite probably obesity.  Studies have shown that people who sleep less than six hours a day are about 30% more likely to be obese than people who slept seven to nine hours.

In a study published in Britain in 2007 researchers looked at 10,000 civil servants over a period of two decades.    The study showed that those who cut their sleep from seven to five hours, or fewer, per night nearly doubled their risk of death from all causes.

The most noteworthy cause of death was from cardiovascular disease.

In Case You Need Another Reason

Chronic lack of sleep impairs judgment, especially about our need of sleep.  Functioning on lack of sleep should not be a badge of honor.  People tend to think they are doing fine because they have “adapted” to the sleep deprivation – they are used to it.  However, when tested on mental alertness and performance, the results are not necessarily supportive of their conclusion.  They don’t realize how impaired they are.

Are you getting enough sleep? If not get yourself a copy of the book called The Effortless Sleep Method. It might just change your life too.

Related Articles:

• Beware of Stress
  
• Peaceful Sleep is Important
• Top Healthy Lifestyle Tips for Seniors

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