The risks of sleep deprivation
More than half of Canadians admit that they reduce their hours of sleep when they feel they have too much to do and too little time to do it. Is this a sound strategy? Are there risks to sleep deprivation? When you think about it, we wouldn't devote 1/3 of our lives to sleeping if it was not essential!
Sleep is vital to:
- Conserve energy and recharge
- Memorise and learn
- Manage stress and emotions
- Protect your immune system
- Regulate vital functions (brain, heart, lungs, endocrine system)
- Eliminate metabolic waste
- Secrete growth hormones (in children and adolescents)
Keeping up healthy lifestyle habits isn't always easy, and sometimes our sleeping habits take a toll. Some think that reducing their hours of sleep is a normal price to pay for productive days, but they are unaware of the extent of the consequences that this sleep debt can cause!
After a few nights…
- Yawning, tiredness, headaches
- Sleepiness
- Weight gain due to hormonal disruption of the sensations of hunger and satiety
- Irregular blood sugar levels: irrepressible need to consume carbs, increased hunger, risk of eating more and making unhealthy food choices
- Increased blood pressure
- Reduced immune function (ex.: susceptibility to colds)
- Reduced regeneration of hair and skin cells, tired appearance
- Irritability, impatience, stress, reduced libido
- Difficulty concentrating and paying attention, memory lapses that affect performance at school and work
- Increased risk of accidents on the road, near pedestrian crossings or at work
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After some time…
- Exhaustion and intense headaches
- Severe daytime sleepiness and "sleep attacks" (irresistible urges to sleep or falling asleep at any time of day)
- At night: symptoms of insomnia, fear of going to sleep and of not falling asleep (sleep anxiety), poor sleep quality
- Increased risk of diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease
- Increased risk of cancer (colorectal, breast)
- Premature ageing of hair, skin and reproductive system ( reduced sperm count)
- Increased risk of anxiety, burnout and depression
- Attention deficit and memory loss, which have an impact on performance at school and at work
- Increased risk of falling asleep at the wheel and of automatic behaviour
Neglecting your sleep may seem harmless, but chronic sleep deprivation can be harmful to your health. Taking care of your sleep is the first step towards optimum health! Consult regularly Mag-santé : The Bonjour-santé magazine; in a few days we will share with you 10 tips for a better night’s sleep!
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Source: Canadian public health campaign on sleep
