The most well-known and common side effects from lack of sleep, are feeling grumpy and not functioning at your best. However, did you know that sleep deprivation can also have profound consequences on physical health?
One in three Britons suffers from lack of sleep, though the cost of those sleepless nights is more than just bad moods and a lack of focus. Regularly losing sleep heightens the risk of a serious medical condition such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes – and it can shorten a person’s life expectancy.
The side effects of missing sleep can range from:
• Irritability
• Memory lapses or loss
• Impaired moral judgement
• Increased stress
• Decreased testosterone
• Risk of high blood pressure
• Risk of heart disease and stroke
• Impaired immune system
• Tremors and aches
• Risk of diabetes type 2
• Risk of obesity
Most people need 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night to feel sufficiently rested. Few people are at their best with less than 7 hours, and few require more than 9 without an underlying health condition.
