Lack of sleep leads to 5 serious complications. How do you get enough sleep at night and during naps?
Sleep disorders or lack of sleep are among the diseases of the age, and therefore serious results that may lead to early death. We present them in this report, with tips for getting good sleep, dealing with sleep disorders, and instructions for a healthy nap.
Lack of sleep
Lack of sleep, also known as "sleep deprivation" means that you don't get enough sleep.
For most adults, the amount of sleep needed for optimal health is 7 to 8 hours each night, according to Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, US.
Reasons for lack of sleep
Sleep deprivation is not a specific disease, and is usually the result of other illnesses or life circumstances.
Possible causes of poor sleep:
- schedule change.
- A new life event, such as the birth of a new baby.
- Stress.
- Sleep disorders, such as insomnia and sleep apnea.
- restless leg syndrome.
- Aging. People over the age of 65 have difficulty sleeping due to aging, medications they take, or health problems they suffer from.
- Depression.
- Schizophrenia.
- Chronic pain syndrome.
- Diseases such as cancer, stroke, and Alzheimer's.
Symptoms of lack of sleep
At first, sleep deprivation may cause mild symptoms, but over time, these symptoms can become more serious.
Symptoms of poor sleep may include:
- drowsiness.
- Inability to concentrate.
- memory problems.
- Weak physical strength.
- Poor ability to fight infections.
What results from lack of sleep
Those who believe that lack of sleep can be compensated for later are mistaken, as the damages resulting from that are direct and continuous, no matter how much a person tries to remedy them later. And one night in which we do not get enough sleep is enough to cause neurological and psychological disorders, especially if we are working the next day, according to statements by Dr. Hans Gunter Weiss, head of the German Institute for Sleep Medicine (DGSM), which he made to the German media.
But when can we say we slept enough? Can this be calculated in hours?
The German expert, who wrote a book on the subject entitled "Sleep Works Miracles," responds by saying that this cannot be determined by hours, but rather the determining factor is genes, which means that each of us must monitor our body to derive the number of hours we need to sleep. Also, the average sleep for men is 7 hours, while women need an additional 20 minutes.
When does lack of sleep become dangerous?
This question cannot be answered decisively. However, experts advise those who have problems sleeping 3 times a week for a month to go to the doctor immediately.
Of course, lack of sleep is among the problems of modern times, and it is more common in developed countries, where work pressures are more severe compared to other societies. But the spread of smartphones has in turn affected the quality of sleep, on a global level, so the smartphone has become a "sabotaging" factor for healthy sleep.
The effects of lack of sleep
The damage caused by lack of sleep can be summarized as follows:
Weakened immune system
Lack of sleep at a rate of two hours over two weeks is enough to cause a defect in the immune system, and a common symptom is exposure to colds constantly. Dr. Hans-Günther Weiss, a specialist in German sleep medicine, says that, according to studies conducted at his institute, "everyone in two suffers from a cold due to lack of sleep."
Decreased mental abilities
Lack of sleep directly affects and limits one's mental capabilities. This is clearly shown by official statistics, which indicate that the number of victims of traffic accidents due to poor concentration is much higher than that caused by drinking while driving.
overweight
Lack of sleep causes disturbances in hormones, which causes weight gain, and lack of sleep develops the desire to eat.
Psychological problems
One of the usual symptoms of lack of sleep is mental disorders and depression, and some have cases of pathological fear. Doctors rank sleep disorders at the forefront of symptoms of depression.
early death
Lack of sleep increases the risk of early death because the body does not reach the desired resting level. In addition, the aforementioned diseases would - if a person suffers from one of them - increase the risk of early death. This also applies to those who oversleep.