The Effects Of Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation is now considered a health crises since a lot of people are now sleeping less than 7 hours a day in comparison to 9 hours a few decades back. The result of this is that health problems are on the rise. Medical experts emphasize the importance of a good quality, uninterrupted sleep routine as part of a healthy lifestyle. This is because inadequate sleep affects the cardiovascular system, the brain and all other organs of the body.

Apart from the list of health hazards mentioned in the first installment of this newsletter, there are a few more to be aware of. Professionals who work long hours as well those who do not have a fixed routine are more prone to suffer from the health issues mentioned below. All of these issues

This system is part of the hedonic pathways that regulate appetite and the intake of food. Less sleep increases the levels of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) chemical. The levels of 2-AG stays low during the night and rises slowly towards midday. However, it was noted that the levels of 2-AG remained high until late in the evening in participants who did not get sufficient sleep.

This explains why people who do not get enough sleep tend to feel more hungry. The high levels of 2-AG was responsible for their large appetites. Also, such people tend to crave foods rich in carbohydrate, fat and protein more often. As a result of this, they put on weight faster.

Type 2 diabetes

Another risk that faces the sleep deprived is Type 2 diabetes. This is because good sleep increases glucose tolerance which is essential for keeping Type 2 diabetes at bay. Also, irregular sleeping patterns raised glucose to dangerous levels especially after meals.

It has been found that patients with Type 1 diabetes were more susceptible to sleep deprivation due to impaired glucose metabolism. Because of this, the risk of later-onset of Type 2 diabetes increases manifold for such

Also, the brain uses this period for regeneration of brain cells. Thus, the brains of people who are sleep-deprived tend to shrink over time since the brain is unable to repair itself. When this happens, the prefrontal cortex (which is responsible for reasoning ability) shuts down and the locus coeruleus (LC) neurons take over.

These neurons induce a state of panic and stress and these symptoms manifest themselves in sleep-deprived people. Also, IQ levels decrease after a night of poor quality rest and regularly cutting back on the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep can affect your ability to focus, think and memorize.

Impact on romantic relationship

Another study by a group of psychologists has come up with proof that the quality of a person’s sleep is closely related to the quality of their relationship. The findings of this study pointed out that sleep-deprived people were more self-centered and focused more on themselves in comparison to others. They were less likely to show gratitude and this affected their relationship with their