TOO BUSY TO GO TO BED? HAVING TROUBLE GETTING QUALITY SLEEP ONCE YOU DO? YOUR HEALTH MAY BE AT RISK
You may literally have to add it to a “to-do list”, but scheduling a good night’s sleep is a very smart health priority one must learn to set up in life. It is not just daytime drowsiness you risk when shortchanging yourself on 7-8 hours sleep. Potential health consequences of getting too little or poor sleep can involve the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, and nervous systems. In addition to letting life get in the way of good sleep, 50-70 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder, insomnia and/or sleep apnea, which ultimately affects daily functioning and impinges on your health. Consider the following:
1. Less may mean more. For people who sleep under 7 hours per night, the more obese they tend to be, by tipping hunger hormones out of whack. Leptin, which suppresses appetite, is lowered. Ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, gets a boost.
2. Your more apt to make bad food choices. Those with obstructive sleep apnea or other severely disordered breathing while asleep ate a diet higher in cholesterol, protein, total fat, and total saturated fat. Women were especially affected.
3. Diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance, its precursor, may become more likely. Five or fewer hours of sleep translates to 2.5x more likely to be diabetic, while those with six hours or fewer were 1.7x more likely.
4. The heart is put at more risk. Heart attacks were 45% more likely in women who slept for 5 hours or less per night.
5. Blood pressure may increase. Obstructive Sleep Apnea, for example, has been associated with chronically elevated daytime blood pressure, and the more severe the more significant the hypertension. Obesity also plays a role further increasing the risk.
6. Auto accidents rise. Nearly 20% of serious car injuries involve a sleepy driver-and that is independent of alcohol use.
7. Balance is off. Older folks who have trouble getting to sleep, who wake up at night, or are drowsy during the day could be 2-4.5x more likely to sustain a fall.
8. You may be more prone to depression. Adults who chronically operate on fumes report more mental distress, depression, and alcohol use.
9. Kids may suffer more behavioral problems. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is common among children who are plagued by insomnia, short duration of sleeping, or disordered breathing with obesity.