How Lack of Sleep Is Affecting the Human Body?

It is generally told that to remain active one needs to have an 8-hour sleep. This is not a random statement given by people but is told by the NHS to US National sleep foundation.

According to the recent studies one common and major reason for different diseases is lack of sleep.

Now what exactly dies lack of sleep mean? How many hours of sleep constitutes a good sleep? How many hours of sleep constitutes a short sleep?

Generally, people who sleep for less than 6 hours a day are short sleepers and those who sleep for more than 10 hours a day are long sleepers.

Poor sleep is linked to a whole range of health disorders. This often affects the overall health, lifestyle and relationship of such person with others.

Prof. Walker recently published based on his study that Just 60 to 90 minutes of additional sleep boosts the learning capacity of the brain, significantly increasing memory retention of facts and preventing forgetting.”

Studies have shown that depriving people of enough sleep for only a few nights in a row can be enough to put healthy adults into a pre-diabetic state. These moderate levels of sleep deprivation damaged their bodies' ability to control blood glucose levels.

Vaccines are less effective when we are sleep deprived, and sleep deprivation suppresses our immune system making us more prone to infection.

They found the brain’s ability to learn was linked to sleep spindles – which are fast pulses of electricity generated during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which accounts for 25% of total sleep time in adult humans.

Sometimes a person sleeping less than 7 hours is likely to get cold as well than the one sleeping for more than 7 hours a day.

Generally, once we fall asleep, we go through different stages at sleep as well.

1. Drowsy stage- state of being drowsy and about to sleep
2. A light sleep stages
3. Deep sleep
4. Waking up

In a full sleep cycle, a person goes through all the stages of sleep from one to three, then back down to two briefly, before entering REM sleep.

Today’s work lifestyle is one of the major contributors to stress and lack of proper sleep as well.
The shift timings at work completely distorts the cycle of a person for the whole day.

Shift work has been associated with a host of health problems. Researchers have found shift workers who get too little sleep at the wrong time of day may be increasing their risk of diabetes and obesity.

Further people who work in shifts are likely to take more time to recover as well from the sickness because their body has least stamina.

Sleep experts say teenagers need up to 10 hours sleep a night, but almost half don't get this much according to the NHS.
Bedrooms are supposed to be a place of rest but are increasingly filled with distractions like laptops and mobile phones, making it harder for young people to nod off.

We have more different types of entertainment on offer than ever, making the temptation to stay awake greater. The blue light emitted by electronic devices makes us feel less sleepy. And the activity itself - be it talking to friends or watching TV - stimulates our brain when it should be winding down.

The most common and fastest-growing complaint he sees is obstructive sleep apnoea - where the airway collapses and people stop breathing in their sleep - and this is strongly related to weight.

The recommended treatment for insomnia is cognitive behavioural therapy, and doctors are increasingly aware that they shouldn't be prescribing sleeping pills. But many still do because it's difficult to access non-drug based treatments, particularly outside big cities.

Researchers have concluded that social influences - hours worked, timing of school, leisure habits - play a far bigger role than the natural cycle of light and dark.

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