Having enough sleep every day is a necessity. Some people tend to ignore the effects of staying awake late at night. People deal with a lot of social activities every day. For some people who work overtime, it is rare for them to get at least eight hours of sleep at night. Little did people know, lacking sleep is one root of why they experience many health issues.
People lacking sleep commonly feel grumpy—they lose the willingness to put effort into things they do daily. Sleep deprivation has consequences that may affect someone’s health. One out of three people suffers from poor sleep. Those sleepless nights will result in possible outcomes, like losing focus and concentration.
What are the common effects of sleep deprivation on human health?
Out of focus and memory loss
Sleep is one significant factor that contributes to the process of learning and thinking. Lacking sleep affects the cognitive process of the brain. Someone who is suffering from sleep deprivation is losing concentration and alertness. Without alertness and concentration, it won’t be effortless to grasp information in the learning process. You will only be mentally attentive if you get enough hours of sleep.
A brain event called “sharp wave ripples” plays an essential role in consolidating human’s memories. These ripples only occur during a deep level of sleep. People tend to encounter memory loss due to sleep deprivation. Remembering what you learned the whole day would be challenging without enough sleep.
Lacking sleep weakens the immune system
Lacking sleep consistently every single day can disrupt the immune system. Depriving yourself to have enough sleep could also be a reason why you catch flu or cold instantly. The body is vulnerable to bacteria and viruses when a person lacks sleep. Lacking enough sleep makes a person more susceptible to infections. It may lead to an immune self-tolerance breakdown, which happens to trigger autoimmune diseases.
Sleep deprivation affects your heart
To have a healthy heart, one must have a proper amount of sleep. People who don’t achieve enough sleep are at higher risk of getting heart disease. Getting enough quality of sleep is good for the heart. It lowers the risk of having serious cardiovascular problems. Patients suffering from sleep apnea often have heart issues. One of the many reasons why sleep is vital is it lessens the possibility of having high blood pressure. With enough sleep and rest, a patient with sleep apnea will be able to deactivate chemicals that extend periods that lower blood pressure and heart rate.
Some people don’t get the chance to achieve enough hours of sleep due to sleep apnea. It is a sleep disorder wherein breathing repeatedly stops and later on will occur again. This disorder affects the consistency of sleep that leads to insufficient sleeping time. It is essential to get eight hours of sleep every night to prevent the occurrence of many health issues.
Consulting to a sleep apnea specialist for help would end the agony of dealing with any sleep disorder. At United Sleep Apnea, we care about your health condition. Overcome those sleepless days and find out how we can help!