Sleep, while one of the most blissful and relaxing things we do to survive, is also one of the most essential. Lack of sleep can be a ᴋɪʟʟᴇʀ.
Sleep is the essential rest of the body which supports all bodily functions. During the night, the body sleeps and thus recharges after the stressful and hard day.
During this time, millions other processes occur in the body, helping the brain to memorize things, and the cells to regenerate and repair the damaged tissues.
Therefore, the lack of sleep impedes all these processes, and prolonged sleep deprivation might seriously endanger health.
Apparently, researchers have studied the exact consequences of the chronic lack of sleep on the body, and they found that they include the development of serious and ʟɪғᴇ-ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ conditions, ranging from ᴄᴀɴᴄᴇʀs to diabetes, and heart issues.
Poor sleeping habits lead to the following 5 diseases.
1.Obesity and Diabetes
Poor sleep has been related to diabetes for long, but scientists at the University of Chicago recently found the way how poor sleep can potentially cause obesity and diabetes.
They analyzed the effects of little sleep on fatty acid buildup, as the levels of these acids in the blood affect the speed of metabolism and the insulin’s ability to regulate blood sugar.
They examined 19 men with different sleeping patterns and found that those who slept for 4 hours over the span of three nights had high levels of fatty acid within their blood between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m., which was 15-30% higher than those who slept for 8.5 hours each night.
Additionally, they found that the increase in fatty acid levels also increased insulin resistance, leading to pre-diabetes.
2. Alzheimer’s
According to the findings of a 2013 study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, a lack of sleep can both, lead to Alzheimer’s disease, and accelerate its progression.
The study was based on previous research that found that sleep is necessary for the brain to eliminate “cerebral waste,” or the garbage-like deposits that can accumulate and lead to dementia.
The study involved 70 adults between the ages of 53 and 91, and showed that participants who reported getting poor sleep each night had a greater amount of beta-amyloid deposition in their brains on PET scans, a compound which is a definitive marker of Alzheimer’s disease.
3. Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular Disease has been linked to poor sleep for some time now, but a recent study presented at EuroHeart Care, the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology found greater evidence of a strong correlation. After following 657 Russian men between the ages of 25 and 64 for 14 years, researchers found that nearly two-thirds of those who experienced a heart attack also had a sleep disorder.
What’s more, the men that complained of Sleep Disorders also were found to have a 2.6 times higher risk of myocardial infraction, a heart attack that occurs when the heart muscle ᴅɪᴇs, and a 1.5 to four times greater risk of stroke.
4. Ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative Colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease marked by ulcers within the lining of your digestive tract, as well as Crohn’s Disease can be a product of both sleep deprivation, and excess sleep, says a 2014 study. Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital found that the right amount of sleep is necessary to curb inflammation responses within the digestive system which often lead to the two diseases.
After studying women enrolled within the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) since 1976 and 1989, researchers found that risks of ulcerative colitis increased as sleep per night decreased to six hours or less. Alternately, researchers also found that more than nine hours of sleep increased risks as well, suggesting that the threshold for stopping digestive inflammation is a very narrow window that requires just the right amount of shut-eye. Although this response was only found within adult women, the increased chances of developing ulcerative colitis when getting little sleep existed despite other factors like age, weight, and habits like smoking and drinking.
5. Prostate ᴄᴀɴᴄᴇʀ
In a 2013 study published within the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, researchers found increased incidence and severity of prostate ᴄᴀɴᴄᴇʀ in patients with sleep issues. After following 2,425 Icelandic men between the ages of 67 and 96 for three to seven years, researchers discovered that the danger of developing prostate ᴄᴀɴᴄᴇʀ rose in 60 percent of men who had trouble falling asleep. This number doubled with men who reported having difficulty staying asleep. What’s more, those who experienced sleep problems were also more likely to have later stages of prostate ᴄᴀɴᴄᴇʀ.
References: kitchmenow.com, puresleepservices.com.au
