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Published On: Mon, Aug 27th, 2018

How Lack of Sleep Can Lead to Diabetes and Obesity

When you were young, sleep was something that was generously at your disposal and you could be soothed or begged to go and sleep. But as a grown-up adult, who is working a fulltime job or a student, sleep may have become so elusive that you dearly miss the days when you could sleep as much as you could with no repercussions. Chances are that you are getting less than the recommended number of hours of sleep every day and as a result, you are always tired throughout the day and not able to perform at your best.

But in addition to this perpetual tiredness, you could also be inviting a myriad of health problems on yourself, including diabetes and obesity. If possible, it is highly recommended that you have a regular sleep pattern and get at least six hours of sleep every night. Going for anything below six hours of sleep as an adult will probably bring more harm than good to you. Here is a brief look at how insufficient sleep may make you become diabetic or obese.

How your sleeping habit affects your metabolism

Several studies have come to the conclusion that irregular or insufficient sleep may slow down the rates of metabolism in an individual. This comes with one very conspicuous consequence – with a slowed down metabolic rate, obesity is always not so far away. This should be a grave concern if you are in the habit of not getting enough sleep or you have a sporadic sleeping pattern. Being obese simply because you aren’t sleeping properly should be something that should scare you because of the accompanying health effects of the condition.

This is not just about you not fitting your clothes anymore, but we are talking about serious health conditions such as diabetes, osteoarthritis, stroke, cancer and congestive heart failure amongst others. If you have been missing sleep, the thought of getting obese should scare you enough so that you can take your sleeping seriously to ensure you get a good number of hours and also establish a regular pattern.

Your sleeping habit has a direct impact on your blood sugar levels

Whenever you hear concerns about blood sugar levels, a lot of interest is usually generated, and the term “diabetes” is never far away. Insufficient sleep will not just have the impact on your metabolic rate which will, in turn, affect your weight, but also it will have an effect on the levels of your blood sugar. It can be so discouraging for you to try and avoid diabetes by being watchful of what you eat, but you still end up being a victim simply because you were too careless to watch on the amount of sleep you get and your sleeping patterns. It simply means that if you are trying to avoid diabetes, then you must consider a wholesome approach, focusing on food, exercise and also the quality and quantity of sleep.

You should never forget that your health is far more important than anything that might tempt you to miss sleep or sleep for just a few hours. Whether it is work, leisure, friends or pleasure, always remember that for you to be healthy, you must always get a good night’s rest every single day.

Other problems associated with lack of sleep

Other than being obese and being prone to getting diabetes, there are other problems associated with sleep deprivation and which you should always avoid getting adequate sleep every single day. Here is a brief look at some of them-:

Memory lapses – during sleep, the brain makes the necessary connections to help you process and retain information. If you don’t sleep, this brain function is affected negatively and you will be prone to forgetting things you shouldn’t be forgetting about.

Mood changes–it is a fact and a very common observation that if you don’t get enough sleep, you will become moody, quick-tempered and very emotional. If you consistently miss sound sleep, other problems such as depression and anxiety are likely to set in or if you already have them, then they may escalate to new heights.

Accidentssleep deprivation makes lose concentration and when you are in a drowsy state, there is increased likelihood that you may get involved in various forms of accidents, and you may sustain various injuries during such. This is why it is recommended that you should never drive or operate a machine when you are sleep-deprived.

Weak immunity – insufficient sleep may lead to weakened immunity and make your body susceptible to attacks by viruses such as those that cause flu and cold. If you already have such infections and you don’t get enough sleep, they could get worse and you may bedridden for a long time.

Risk of heart diseases – lack of sleep may lead to increased blood pressure as well as in increase in the levels of chemicals known to cause inflammation. Such a combination is potent for a myriad of heart diseases to set in.

Low sex drive – several studies have concluded that individuals who don’t get enough sleep are likely to have low libido or low sex drive. For men, low libido may be an indication of a drop in the levels of testosterone hormone.  

Poor balance – sleep deprivation may lead to problems to do with balance and coordination, thus making you prone to falls and other forms of physical accidents.

With all these ill consequences of sleep deprivation, you should never allow yourself to get less than enough sleep. Ideally, you should strive for at least six hours of sleep every night, and you should establish a pattern that your body will easily get used to. Additionally, you should also check the quality of your sleep since this is equally important as the quantity of sleep you get. The mattress you sleep on should be comfortable enough, and if it is old, then you need to replace it with a new and better one from Tuft and Needle stores. Also learn to avoid killers of good sleep such as coffee, alcohol, use of electronic devices and engaging in rigorous physical activities just a few moments before bedtime.

Author: Nirdesh Singh

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