You may think that missing sleep is all well and good but you’ve probably felt the effects of it from time to time. There may be days when you just can’t drift off to sleep then the following day you feel cranky, less energetic, and even out of sorts throughout the day. These are mild side effects of missing sleep but completely missing your much needed 7 to 9 hours of sleep and you will get more than these symptoms. Sleep deprivation can pose some health risks when it goes on for days which is why you need to make it a point that you manage to get your daily dose of shut eye as much as possible. To give you an idea on what sleep deprivation can do to you, these symptoms are linked to it.

Difficulty in concentrating

Sleep deprivation can make it difficult for you to concentrate or to think during the day. This is because your body is not getting enough rest at the moment plus there is not enough blood flowing to your brain hence there is not enough oxygen to make your brain function better. You will find that your ability to solve problems will be impaired because of it.

Weak immune system

Another downside to not getting enough sleep is that your immune system can be compromised because of it. This is because your body is not able to rest and repair itself hence your immune system will be affected. When this happens, there is huge chance that your body will be susceptible to viruses that can leave you open to colds, cough, and other health issues.

Causes weight gain

You will find that sleep deprivation can wreak havoc to the chemicals in your body that will trick your mind into thinking that you are constantly hungry. This is one of the reasons why you are constantly munching on food throughout the day which is why you tend to gain weight when you are deprived of your much needed sleep.

Affects balance

What else can sleep deprivation do to you? It can compromise your balance. If you are not getting enough sleep, there is a huge chance that your balance will be affected which can make you prone to accidents such as tripping and falling.

High risk for diabetes

Not getting enough sleep can actually put you at risk from diabetes. When you are not getting enough sleep, it will affect your body’s ability to release insulin. Insulin is the one that makes your blood sugar to reduce. If you are not getting enough sleep, your blood sugar levels are sure to go up which can increase your risk from type 2 diabetes.

Mood swings

It appears that sleep deprivation can cause your mood to change making you more emotional and quick-tempered than before. When you are suffering from sleep deprivation constantly, this can lead to emotional problems such as depression and anxiety which can even escalate when you don’t treat it as soon as possible.

Heart disease

Unfortunately, not getting enough sleep can also leave you exposed to heart disease because of an increase in blood pressure. There are more chemicals running through your body too which can lead to inflammation that can trigger heart disease as well. 

These are just a few things that you need to take into account the next time you find it a good idea to deprive yourself of your much needed sleep. Who would have thought that there is so much that can happen when you don’t give your body its rest. If you want to keep yourself safe from health problems, get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep as much as possible.