Sleep Deprivation Can Make You Ill

by: LizBeresford
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"I just don't have time to sleep, it is such a waste of time!" Is this how you feel about sleep? Just too busy to fit in eight hours of shut eye every night? Do you feel proud of taking less sleep than other people?

I have to tell straight up, you are very mistaken. Sleep deprivation is so dangerous that it can even kill you. It isn't a waste of time to sleep it is simply a fact of life. We must sleep.

If you have built up a chronic sleep debt over several weeks you are suffering from a dangerous sleep deprivation problem. Studies show that there are many problems associated with this. Here are a just a few of them:

- You will die sooner than you should if you allow sleep deprivation to continue. Studies show that death from all causes is significantly higher in those who get less than seven hours sleep a night.

-Your immune system takes a battering when you are sleep deprived. Subjects allowed only 4 hours sleep for a six night period were infected with flu virus. Their immune system produced half the number of white cells it normally would in response to this attack.

Reduced by half! That's very scary isn't it? Your immune response is what keeps you alive when bugs attack your body, which is every day of your life. The same study also showed these affects from sleep deprivation:

a) Blood pressure was raised as was heart rate

b) Insulin resistance was up. Its a precursor of diabetes.

c) Leptin, a hormone that inhibits appetite, was reduced. That is why sleep deprivation can result in weight gain. Other studies have shown similar results.

-Critical thinking is much reduced and intellectual performance in general affected. Burning the midnight oil will not help you pass your exams.

-Reaction time is reduced. You may think you are just as sharp as ever but so does the drunk driver. Its impossible to know how many accidents have been caused by sleep deprivation. Don't add to them.

Notice how often driver fatigue is mentioned in reports on various accidents. The one we probably remember best is the Exon Valdize, but airplane and road traffic accidents are frequently put down to driver fatigue in other words, sleep deprivation.

While most would not drive when drunk the idea of driving when tired does not set off the same alarm bells, but it should. The mixture of tiredness plus alcohol adds to the risk.

So the bottom line is that no matter how hard it is to follow a sensible sleep routine you must do it. Going to bed late on a regular basis and suffering from chronic sleep deprivation can be lethal for you or for someone you else.

If you have insomnia its important that you learn how to improve your sleep. Insomnia is usually caused by stress and anxiety so if you can get help for those your sleep is going to improve. There are also many lifestyle changes you can make to help you to sleep.

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