Getting a good night’s sleep is essential to a person’s overall health. Not getting enough sleep is associated with a number of health problems, including an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.
It is important to understand just how vital sleep is, and how to identify if you’re sleep deprived. While many people think that they are getting enough sleep each night, the statistics tell us something different. According to the American Sleep Association, 50-70 million adults have a sleep disorder, and 37% of people reported falling asleep at least once per day in the previous month.
The lack of sleep not only affects people’s daily alertness and performance, it has wider-reaching health consequences as well. It is estimated that 3-5% of the general proportion of obesity in adults could be caused by short sleep.
Physiological Changes Caused by a Lack of Sleep
Not getting enough quality sleep can have a profound effect on many of the body’s systems. The hormones that control your appetite, for example, are directly affected by a lack of sleep. The feelings of hunger and fullness are controlled by two hormones in the human body, leptin and ghrelin.
Sleep has a significant impact on the levels of these hormones. Leptin is the hormone that informs your brain when you’ve had enough to eat, and ghrelin stimulates your appetite. When you are sleep deprived, your brain reduces leptin and raises ghrelin, often leading you to eat more and snack late at night.
Insulin is also released in those who are sleep-deprived, which can lead to increased storage of fat and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
For men, particularly, a lack of sleep can have a significant impact on hormone production, including testosterone and growth hormone.
Other systems in the body that are affected by sleep deprivation include the cardiovascular system, respiratory, and the immune system.
Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation
While most people can readily identify tiredness and fatigue, there are other symptoms of sleep deprivation that individuals should be on the alert for. Some common symptoms include:
- Inability to think clearly
- Delayed reaction time
- Difficulty forming memories
- Irritability
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Experiencing “micro-sleeps”
So, how do you treat sleep deprivation? The first thing you have to realize is that you must repay your “sleep debt.” If a person is unable to get to sleep, either due to physical or cognitive issues, treatment may be required. Fortunately, there are many different natural treatments that can help reduce cortisol (stress and anxiety), assist with stress management, and help reduce belly fat while promoting quality sleep.
Contact Natural Bio Health for Natural Sleep Solutions
Are you looking for natural solutions to get a better night’s sleep? Turn to the sleep experts at Natural Bio Health to discuss a customized program that will help you take control of your nights and have better, more productive days.