Everyone knows that sleep is important, but not everyone knows what poor sleep affects.
1. Sleep affects glucose metabolism and the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Experimental sleep restriction during research led to increased blood sugar levels and decreased insulin sensitivity. In a study of healthy young men, it was found that limiting sleep to four hours a night for 6 consecutive nights caused symptoms of prediabetes.
Bad sleep habits in general are directly related to unfavorable blood sugar levels. It has been repeatedly shown that people who sleep less than 6 hours a night are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes.
2. Poor sleep is associated with depression.
Mental health problems are closely linked to poor sleep quality, sleep disorders and lack of sleep. It has been estimated that 90% of depressed patients report a quality night sleep.
Poor sleep is also associated with an increased suicide rate. People with sleep disorders such as insomnia or sleep apnea also have significantly higher rates of depression.
3. Sleep improves the function of the immune system.
Even a small loss of sleep can lead to a dysfunction of the immune system. During a large study, doctors watched for two weeks the development of influenza in volunteers who were deliberately injected with the virus.
They found that those who slept less than 7 hours were three times more likely to develop the flu than those volunteers who slept 8 hours or more.
4. Poor sleep quality is associated with increased inflammation in the body.
Sleep can have an important effect on inflammation in the body. In fact, it has long been known that sleep loss activates unwanted inflammation and cell damage. Poor sleep is closely related to long-term inflammation of the digestive tract in a disorder known as inflammatory bowel disease.
The researchers even recommend that health care providers measure sleep quality to better predict the course of illness in people with inflammatory conditions.
5. Sleep affects emotions and social interaction
Sleep loss reduces your ability to interact with others.
One study found that people who did not sleep enough hours had a reduced ability to recognize expressions of anger and joy in the other person. In other words, lack of sleep affects the ability to recognize important social cues and respond appropriately to situations when interacting with society.