3 Ways Lack of Sleep Can Make You Sick

We all know that sleep is essential for your health, but did you know that lack of sleep can make you sick and even lead to disease? As our life gets busier and more stressful we often find it difficult to get a full seven or eight hours of sleep a night. Furthermore, most people suffer from insomnia and other sleep difficulties. Below are a few ways that lack of sleep can make you sick.

1) Weight Gain

Believe it or not, sleep deprivation can lead to a slower metabolism and increased weight gain. This occurs because lack of sleep can affect your body’s hormone levels and the way your body stores carbohydrates. Sleep deprivation also leads to increased hunger because increased levels of the hormone Ghrelin stimulates your appetite while lower levels of Leptin makes you feel less satisfied after a meal.

2) Cardiovascular Health

Sleep deprivation has also been linked to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Lack of sleep slows down your body’s metabolism. Cardiovascular health is also linked to weight gain since increased weight leads to poor cardiovascular health.

3) Alzheimer’s Disease

Abnormal insulin levels in your blood due to sleep deprivation can increase your risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Insulin promotes memory and learning in the brain. Insulin resistance, therefore, can cause inflammation in the brain which affects memory and learning ability. This directly leads to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s.

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The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.