Lack of Sleep Does This to Your Body

Americans are busier than ever. With hectic schedules that range from long work hours and school schedules to household chores and more, there seems to be less and less time for the most important things, like sleep. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults should be getting at least seven hours of sleep a night; about 1 in 3 adults in the United States reported not getting enough rest or sleep every day.

To identify health issues linked to sleep deprivation, 24/7 Tempo consulted a sleep medicine specialist and a clinical psychologist specializing in insomnia treatment. We also reviewed numerous medical studies in publications like the Journal of Neuroscience, Nature Communications, and Oxford Academic. Per Dr. Mayank Shukla, a sleep medicine specialist, insufficient sleep, associated with conditions like diabetes, heart issues, obesity, and depression, increases the risk of mortality. (Here are the most common reasons for memory loss and brain shrinkage.)

There are several stages of sleep, with each one having its own role in maintaining good health, as explained by Shukla. "All stages are important, so make sure you get them all." During the first half of the night, sleep is primarily non-REM, while the second half is mostly REM, which is when you are in deep sleep and resting. As Joshua Tal, Ph.D, a psychologist specializing in sleep disorders, points out, this is why you can feel tired if you wake up during REM sleep, even after having slept enough hours. (Here are 23 simple tips for a better night's sleep.)

Sleep and anxiety are closely linked Tal notes. A change in one will affect the other. Research has shown that sleep deprivation worsens anxiety by exaggerating preemptive responses in the amygdala, the brain region responsible for reactions to fear.

A recent study discovered that just one night of missed sleep can leave people feeling irritable, sad, and anxious. At the same time, a single night of restorative sleep can restore anxiety levels back to normal.

According to a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications, sleep deprivation can lead to social withdrawal and loneliness. Loneliness, in turn, has been linked to an increased mortality risk and is considered as harmful to your health as smoking and obesity.

The more difficulty a person has with falling or staying asleep, the greater the risk of developing depression. Individuals with insomnia are ten times more likely to experience clinical depression.

Clinical studies suggest a potential link between breathing-related sleep disorders and major depressive disorders, with approximately 800 in 100,000 people experiencing both. Additional research has also identified a strong correlation between insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

Lack of sleep contributes to both short-term memory difficulties and long-term memory loss. "It's harder for the brain to transfer memories to long-term," said Tal. Although the exact mechanism is not fully understood, researchers believe that memories are formed during REM sleep because when the neural connections responsible for these memories are strengthened.

Many factors contribute to premature aging, and insufficient sleep is one of them. When the body doesn't get enough rest, it has less time to properly repair itself, leaving people feeling tired and looking older.

One sign of accelerated aging is dark circles around the eyes. Insufficient sleep leads to fluid retention under the eyes, creating extra "baggage." The skin also becomes paler, letting blood vessels and dark tissue underneath show.

Anyone who has ever tried to sleep while knows how disturbive it can be. The relationship between pain and insufficient sleep is now seen as reciprocal: regular sleep deprivation can lower a person's pain tolerance and interfere with the effectiveness of pain killers.

During sleep, the skin tightens and refreshes itself. People who struggle with poor sleep patterns are more prone to showing signs of aging on their skin, including fine lines, uneven pigmentation, slackening, and reduced elasticity. Research also indicates that they tend to recover more slowly from sun damage.

Sleep deprivation disrupts energy expenditure by affecting leptin, an appetite suppressant, and ghrelin, an appetite stimulant, according to research. Reduced levels of leptin and increased levels of ghrelin contribute to increased hunger among sleep-deprived individuals and correlate with higher Body Mass Index (BMI).

Additionally, people lacking sufficient sleep tend to prefer sweet foods and junk foods, which are high in fat, salt, and sugar, which are factors known to contribute to weight gain.

Sleep deprivation can disrupt metabolism, impacting glucose metabolism and altering hormone levels such as leptin and increasing ghrelin, which are crucial for regulating metabolism, according to Shukla.

Microsleeps, brief periods of light sleep that can occur during monotonous tasks, are not uncommon among people experiencing sleep deprivation. They can be particularly dangerous, especially when driving a car or operating heavy machinery, according to Tal. "This is the body's attempt at getting some sleep," he explained, attributing these instances to severe fatigue and describing them as "involuntary."

The endocrine system undergoes changes as a result of lack of sleep, resulting in elevated levels of cortisol, known as the "stress hormone," Shukla notes. "This can lead to increased heart rate and higher blood pressure, placing additional strain on the heart as it pumps blood throughout the body."

During sleep, blood pressure typically decreases. However, individuals experiencing sleep deprivation often have higher 24-hour average blood pressure levels, potentially leading to tissue calcification or hardening. Research indicates that even one night of insufficient sleep can elevate blood pressure in those already dealing with hypertension, affecting their blood pressure levels throughout the following day.

Shukla points out that lack of sleep impacts theendocrine system by altering glucose tolerance. Studies indicate that circadian misalignment, including improperly timed sleep and wake cycles, leads to substantial insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar levels. Research has shown that even a single night of partial sleep loss can induce insulin resistance in otherwise healthy people.

The National Sleep Foundation reports that insufficient sleep, often overlooked, poses a significant risk factor for diabetes. Research indicates a link between inadequate sleep and type 2 diabetes. Sleep deprivation reduce the release of insulin from the liver, which regulates blood sugar levels, while increasing cortisol production, further hindering insulin function.

This combination contributes to elevated blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of developing diabetes, Shukla explains.

Sleep deprivation weakens the immune system, making people more susceptible to infections and slowing down recovery processes. During sleep, the immune system releases protective proteins that are crucial for fighting infection. Lack of sleep can result in fewer of these disease-fighting antibodies being produced.

After a night of just a few hours of sleep, it's common to feel irritable, but the effects are a lot more serious than just moodiness. Poor sleep quality or insufficient sleep can lead to increased irritability and stress. Quality helps prevent a chain reaction of stress hormones like adrenaline, which can otherwise leave a person feeling constantly stressed.

According to Tal, the quality of sleep significantly affects cognitive skills, not just the quantity. Insufficient sleep disrupts brain activity by impairing communication between cells, which diminishes your ability to concentrate on even basic tasks.

Another study revealed that lack of sleep impacts alertness, orienting and executive control. Participants showed slower reaction times, resulting in reduced vigilance.

Shukla noted that new research links sleep disorders to memory loss and dementia. Studies show that sleep disorders may increase the risk of Alzheimer's in later years. Additionally, sleep problems are frequently seen in patients with Alzheimer's.

According to the National Institutes of Health, missing just a single night of sleep raises beta amyloid levels. This protein is associated with memory and cognitive decline, which can increase the risk of dementia. Beta amyloid is a metabolic waste present in the fluid surrounding the brain cells that gets flushed out during sleep.

Sleep is crucial for cardiovascular health, according to Shukla. "Sleep apnea serves as a prime example of how sleep duration and sleep disorders can reduce life expectancy by five to 10 years due to heart issues." The interruptions in breathing, which result in decreased oxygen levels in the blood, elevate blood pressure and stress the cardiovascular system.

Research examining the link between sleep and coronary heart disease has shown that women who sleep fewer than eight hours or more than nine are at increased risk of developing coronary heart disease. This issue isn't limited to adults. According to the National Sleep Foundation, studies indicate that insufficient quality sleep in teenagers also raises their risk of heart disease due to elevated levels of cholesterol, blood pressure, and BMI, and abdominal fat.

Chronic sleep deprivation and irregular sleep patterns have been linked to an elevated risk of various heart conditions, including stroke. Research indicates that sleep deprivation may increase the likelihood of stroke-related death by as much as 15%.

Long-duration sleep, or more than nine hours, was also associated with a higher chance of developing or dying of stroke.

There is evidence that inadequate sleep is associated with an increased risk of breast and prostate cancers. This may stem from disruptions to the circadian rhythm, as the body's internal clock plays a significant role in regulating biological functions, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Sleep deprivation affects everyone, including healthy athletes. In a study conducted at Stanford University, researchers put 11 basketball players on a sleep-wake schedule over two to four weeks, followed by a sleep extension period of five- to seven-weeks where they slept a minimum of 10 hours each night.

Results showed that when athletes slept longer, their reaction time and shooting accuracy improved during both practice sessions and games.