Many people have experienced the consequences of lack of sleep: heavy eyelids, the two eyelids are constantly fighting; dizziness in the head, lack of concentration, and being out of shape at work and study; yawning all day long, tired body, not wanting to do anything, wanting to lie down Have a comfortable sleep.
The consequences of lack of sleep are more severe than people think. Multiple studies have linked sleep deprivation to a host of health problems, including stroke, heart attack, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
Lack of sleep not only impairs cardiovascular recovery but also puts stress on the cardiovascular system and is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and myocardial infarction.
According to a study published in the Journal of Stroke, 50%–70% of subjects with acute stroke or transient ischemic attack have sleep disorders, especially sleep apnea syndrome, and the proportion is significantly higher than that of ordinary people. Another large prospective study (Women’s Health Initiative Study) of 93,175 women aged 50–79 years showed that sleeping less than 6 hours a night was associated with a 22% increased risk of ischemic stroke.
The Journal of the American College of Cardiology published a study in 2018 that showed that, compared with people who slept 6–9 hours, people who slept less than 6 hours had a 20-fold increased risk of myocardial infarction. Even among people with a higher genetic risk of myocardial infarction, maintaining a healthy and adequate amount of sleep can reduce the risk of myocardial infarction by 18%.
Lack of sleep increases women’s risk of diabetes. Harvard researchers found that maintaining a consistent sleep pattern of seven to eight hours in early to mid-adulthood reduced a woman’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Compared with women who slept for 7 hours, those who slept for 5 hours had a 43% higher risk of diabetes; those who slept for 6 hours had a 17% higher risk; and those who slept for 8 hours had a 43% higher risk of diabetes. Population, the risk was reduced by 4%. For women, maintaining a regular sleep schedule of 7 to 8 hours a day is beneficial to preventing type 2 diabetes.
According to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, just one night of sleep deprivation can accumulate amyloid beta in the brain. Abnormal deposition of amyloid beta is one of the main pathogenesiss of Alzheimer’s disease. One. The researchers found signs of the protein in the hippocampus, which plays a vital role in forming new memories and is one of the regions affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
Sleep can also affect people’s immunity. People who get enough sleep have stronger immune systems than people who don’t get enough sleep. A study published in the journal Sleep showed that after being infected with rhinovirus or the common cold virus, people who slept less than five hours a night were 4.5 times more likely to catch a cold than those who slept more than seven hours. Times.
According to the American Sleep Foundation’s recommendations, the optimal sleep time for adults is 7-9 hours; for older people, 7-8 hours; for children aged 6–13, 9–11 hours; and for adolescents aged 14–17, 8–10 hours. There is no exact time for when to fall asleep. After all, everyone has different sleep patterns, as long as you meet the recommended sleep time for your age based on your actual situation.
There are various causes of insufficient sleep, such as sleep disorders, including insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, or the inability to fall asleep all night; sleep apnea syndrome, which causes sleep interruption due to irregular breathing; and restless legs syndrome, which occurs when sleeping at night. Extreme discomfort occurs in the lower limbs, forcing the patient to constantly move the lower limbs or walk on the ground, leading to severe sleep disorders.
Because many people are not aware that they have sleep disorders, they do not receive adequate diagnosis and treatment, resulting in long-term insufficient sleep time and reduced sleep quality, which seriously affects their health and quality of life. Therefore, when you suspect that you are not sleeping well or have symptoms of sleep disorders, you should seek medical treatment promptly to find out the cause and treat it.
In addition, poor sleep habits, such as irregular sleeping hours, excessive naps or bedtime, and engaging in excitable activities before bed, such as reading novels, drinking coffee, and drinking alcohol, can also lead to insufficient sleep.
Maintaining good sleep habits and a stable work and rest schedule will help regulate sleep cycles and ensure adequate sleep time. Don’t stare at your phone or computer before going to bed, and don’t check emails before bed because the blue light produced by electronic devices disrupts sleep signals and causes some stress, making people think about the next day’s work tasks. It may cause an inability to sleep.
Sleep occupies a large part of our lives. About one-third of a person’s life is spent sleeping. Therefore, sleep is also essential and deserves everyone to take it seriously.
