HOW SLEEP CAN AFFECT HUMAN HEALTH
Sleep plays a critical role in maintaining overall human health, and lack of adequate sleep can have various adverse effects on both physical and mental health. Some ways that sleep affects human health are listed below.
- Impaired Cognitive Functioning: This can make it hard to pay attention and concentrate, which can make it hard to learn, work, and do your normal activities.
- Sleep deprivation is associated with an increased risk of heart problems, such as high blood pressure, stroke, and a heart attack.
- Poor sleep can make the immune system weaker. During sleep, the body repairs and restores the immune system. Lack of adequate sleep can weaken the immune system, making it more susceptible to infections.
- If you don’t get enough sleep, that can lead to problems with your moods, such as anxiety and depression.
- Sleep is important for memory consolidation: Sleep plays a critical role in the consolidation of memories. During sleep, the brain processes and stores information that was acquired during the day, which helps to strengthen memories and improve learning.
- When people don’t get enough sleep, their hormones get messed up, and they start to eat more. This can lead to weight gain and obesity.
- If you don’t get enough sleep, your body’s ability to control blood sugar levels gets harder. This can increase your risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
- Increased Risk of Accidents: Sleep deprivation is associated with increased risk of accidents, including car accidents, workplace accidents, and falls.
Getting enough sleep is important for keeping your health and wellbeing good. Adults need to sleep for 7–9 hours each night, while children and teenagers may need more.