Repaying sleep debt can be challenging for those with busy schedules, but by adding a few extra hours of sleep per night in the following week goes a long way. Adequate sleep is as important as diet and exercise for healthy living. Repairing Sleep Deprivation EffectsĪdults who do not sleep the recommended hours during the working weekshould focus on making up for it during the weekend. The more the sleep debt, the greater the adverse health effects such as weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, and even stroke. Sleep deprivation also causes irritability and fatigue and interferes with memory and focus resulting in impaired reaction time, judgement and vision. They also showed signs of insulin resistance, a precursor of type 2 diabetes.
In a University of Chicago study on human sleep deprivation, the volunteers who slept only about 4 hours per night for 6 consecutive days experienced increased blood pressure, increase in stress hormone, cortisol, levels, and produced decreased levels of antibodies to a flu vaccine. Our circadian clock regulates our body functions including fluctuations in blood pressure, body temperature, and levels of several hormones and digestive enzymes. Sleep loss takes toll on the body as well as the mind. Most of us attain peak "sleepiness" levels between 12 am and 6 am and 2 pm and 4 pm.
These two systems work together to establish the best bedtime for us.
Our body summons sleep by increasing circulating levels of the neurotransmitter adenosine and by using signals from our circadian clock, which controls our daily rhythms. However, studies show that over 60% of adults constantly fall short of this recommended sleep hours. Image Credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock Why Should We Sleep?Īn average adult needs 6 to 8 hours of sleep everyday for optimum health and function because research shows that sleep refuels and re-energizes your body.
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