Hey, let me let you in on a little secret: Sleep is actually just as important as eating, drinking water and breathing. Without sleep you stand the chance of dealing with some pretty critical consequences..some as serious as death. According to a Harvard Medical School study, “sleeping less than five hours a night increases the risk of death from all causes by about 15 percent.” During sleep your body is resting and repairing itself, and at a young age sleep is the time for bodily and mental growth. Without the proper amount of sleep you could really be doing yourself a disservice.
1. Your Brain
At bedtime one might think that they are turning their brain off FINALLY, but you’d be surprised to know that your brain is still steady at work while you rest. During sleep the brain actually works to build new pathways for neurons. Without time to do this, the brain is left feeling very exhausted. Everything will just feel hard to do. Learning is especially not going to be the easiest without a good night’s rest. Your short term and long term memory will be dramatically impacted and your mood will be poorly regulated.
2. Immune System
While at rest the body is working hard to get your infection fighting antibody “soldiers” prepared to fight for you for the next day. Proper sleep gives your body the energy it needs to complete this task. According to a study done by the Mayo Clinic, lack of sleep leaves your body weak and vulnerable to illness and disease. Long term sleep deprivation can heighten your risk of developing major illness, such as diabetes.
3. Digestive System
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There are a lot of studies that link sleep deprivation to obesity. According to one done by the Harvard Medical School, “Sleep deprivation prompts your body to release higher levels of insulin after you eat, promoting fat storage and increasing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.” Lack of sleep can really do some harm to your hormone balance. Your cortisol hormone levels increase significantly with lack of sleep causing you to stress, and the leptin levels decrease significantly making your body unable to determine when its full from eating.
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4. Your Heart
While you are sleeping the body is working to repair your blood vessels and heart. Lack of sleep can hinder this, causing you some potential life-threatening cardiovascular issues down the road. According to a study done at the Harvard Medical School, “people with hypertension, one night without enough sleep can cause elevated blood pressure all through the next day.”
Burning the candle at both ends is never a good idea. Get your sleep people! Without it you face too many chances at both short and long term damage!
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