SLEEP

 

It might be so silly to talk about sleep in health and fitness but to be honest, sleep regulates most of our body’s systems and helps to maintain homeostasis. Lack or improper or irregular sleep cycles are hazardous to human health. This has become more common in this pandemic situation. It is one among those things where we don’t really see its result immediately but a prolonged one ends up one’s life in danger. Here are its impacts, not just to scare but to think and analyze more and to know the truth.

Sleep deprivation can affect various aspects of health, including:

·       The immune system: Sleep deprivation may cause a person to be more prone to infections, which may take longer to resolve, and respiratory diseases.

·       Weight: Sleep can affect the hormones that control feelings of hunger and fullness. It can also trigger the release of insulin. Changes to sleep can cause increased fat storage, changes in body weight, and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

·       The cardiovascular system: Sleep helps the heart vessels heal and rebuild and affects processes that maintain blood pressure, sugar levels, and inflammation control. Too little sleep may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

·       Hormone levels: Insufficient sleep can affect hormone production, including the production of growth hormones and testosterone. It also causes the body to release additional stress hormones, such as norepinephrine and cortisol.

·       The brain: Sleep deprivation affects the prefrontal cortex, which handles reasoning, and the amygdala, which deals with emotion. A lack of sleep may also make it harder for a person to form new memories, which can affect learning.

·       Fertility: Poor sleep may affect the production of hormones that boost fertility.

·       Depression: Over time, lack of sleep and sleep disorders can contribute to the symptoms of depression. According to some estimates, 90% of people with insomnia - a sleep disorder characterized by trouble falling and staying asleep. Insomnia and depression feed on each other.

·       Aging on skin: Most people have experienced sallow skin and puffy eyes after a few nights of missed sleep. But it turns out that chronic sleep loss can lead to lackluster skin, fine lines, and dark circles under the eyes.

·       Cancer: Your risk for cancer increases. Shortened sleep is associated with higher rates of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer, according to the AASM’s sleep statement.

·       Sleeplessness cause road accidents too where many has lost their lives, which is commonly heard.