An adult human is advised to sleep for 7-9 hours every day. Lack of sleep can be bad for health because sleep is as important as a healthy diet and regular exercise. However, there are still many people who sleep less than the recommended duration. So that we can appreciate and prioritize sleep more, here are 5 benefits of getting enough sleep.
- Helps maintain and lose weight
Many studies say that people who sleep less than 7 hours a day increase the risk of obesity by 41%. Lack of sleep can increase ghrelin levels and reduce leptin levels in the body.
Ghrelin is a hormone that makes us feel hungry, while leptin is a hormone that makes us feel full. The combination of these conditions can cause us to always feel hungry so we eat too much.
- Can increase concentration and productivity
Lack of sleep can have a negative effect on a person's cognitive abilities, concentration, productivity, and performance. A special study conducted on doctors who worked overtime found that doctors who worked with moderate, high, and very high levels of sleep deprivation reported a 54%, 96%, and 97% probability of medical error, respectively.
On the other hand, getting enough sleep has been shown to improve critical thinking skills and improve memory for both children and adults.
- Maximize sports performance
Getting enough sleep each day can improve motor skills, reflex speed, muscle strength, and endurance. In addition, lack of sleep can also increase the risk of injury and reduce exercise motivation.
- It can help strengthen the heart
Lack of sleep can increase our risk of heart disease. Sleeping for short periods can increase the risk of high blood pressure, especially for people with sleep apnea or stopping breathing for a while, during sleep.
People who sleep less than 5 hours a day have a 61% higher risk of developing the condition of high blood pressure compared to people who sleep 7 hours or more. People who sleep less than 7 hours a day can increase their risk of dying from heart disease by 13%.
- Lack of sleep can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes
Lack of sleep is often associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is due to insulin resistance or a condition when the body cannot use the hormone insulin properly.
This causes the blood sugar level to be out of control. A pool of 36 studies with a total of 1 million participants found that people who sleep less than 5 hours a day can increase their risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 48%.
- Lack of sleep can interfere with emotions and social life
When we are tired, we usually find it difficult to control the emotional outburst that can occur, especially when dealing with other people. Fatigue can also impact our ability to respond to humor or show empathy. In addition, people who experience severe sleep deprivation usually tend to avoid social events and prefer to be alone.
- Lack of sleep is closely related to depression
Mental health, such as depression, is strongly affected by poor sleep quality and is exacerbated by the sleep disorder experienced. In one study, it was found that people with sleep disorders, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, reported more depression than people with standard sleep patterns.
Lack of sleep can harm you and those around you. Severe sleep deprivation is equivalent to excessive alcohol consumption. If we don't sleep for 24 hours, it is estimated that the blood alcohol content (BAC) value can touch 1.00% or more than the permissible limit. To avoid the various dangers of sleep deprivation, whether you are driving or working, it is better from now on to pay more attention to the duration and quality of sleep.
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Source:
Leech, J. & Villalobos, N. (2022). 10 Reasons to Get More Sleep. Healthline. [online]. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-why-good-sleep-is-important