7 things that happen to your body when you don’t get enough sleep
Aside from yawning and developing dark circles beneath your eyes, some pretty gnarly things happen to your body when you don’t get enough sleep. Despite the various social media mantras that wrongly advise us to skip getting some shuteye in order to reach our professional and personal goals, sleep deprivation is no joke, and if you aren’t routinely getting a good night’s sleep, your body will let you know in no uncertain terms that this snooze-sacrificing arrangement just isn’t gonna cut it.
While we are all about everyone bringing their loftiest dreams to fruition, the truth is, we won’t get very far by skimping on the Zzzs. Contrary to those well-meaning social media messages that recruit people to join #TeamNoSleep, science has proven why we actually do need sleep, and the ramifications of not getting sufficient amounts on a regular basis are far worse than not getting where you think you ought to be in life.
If you still refuse to accept all the detrimental things that happen to your body when you don’t get enough sleep, have a seat and scroll through this convincing list — that is, if you can make it through without keeling over from exhaustion.
1. Intense mood swings.
It’s cute when Drake is all moody on an album, but experiencing drastic mood swings because you haven’t been sleeping is more on the scary end of the spectrum. Studies show that a lack of sleep can seriously mess with your emotions causing you to be anxious, irritable and in some cases, depressed.
2. Decreased metabolism.
So, what exactly does sleep have to do with your metabolism? It’s pretty simple: Not sleeping enough lowers your metabolism, because sleep regulates leptin, a chemical that tells our brain we’re full. As a result, lower amounts of leptin may cause us to overeat. Meanwhile, metabolism slows down to compensate.
3. You’re more prone to heart disease and diabetes.
A lack of sleep can produce an increase insulin resistance, which are risk factors directly related to heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. According to The National Sleep Foundation, sleep deprivation leads to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease regardless of factors like age, smoking, exercise, and weight.
4. Your appetite intensifies.
Yes, that is your stomach producing all of those ungodly growls, and it’s trying to tell you something extremely important about slacking on the sleep: Being tired makes you hungrier. Assuming the role of leptin’s evil partner-in-crime, the hormone ghrelin — which sends hunger signals to the brain — increases when you’re short on shuteye.
5. A bad case of brain fog.
You’re probably really confused and unfocused right now, but one thing’s clear: Your brain fog is caused by sleeplessness, so that project you stayed up late to finish probably won’t be your best work. If anyone asks you to explain a detail, you might find yourself struggling to form thoughts or coherent sentences.
According to Prevention, brain fog can wreak havoc on your concentration for days or even weeks. Fortunately, if it’s a lack of sleep throwing you off your game, getting the proper amount of rest every night can alleviate the problem.
6. You’re more likely to get sick.
New studies show that getting tattoos somehow stimulates the immune system, but we’re willing to bet that all the ink in the world can’t make up for the negative impact that a shortage of sleep has on our body’s ability to fight off illness.
Not only does a lack of sleep increase your chances of becoming sick, it also extends the amount of time the body needs to recover.
7. Memory loss.
If you can’t quite remember the last time you had a good night’s rest, it may have something to do with the connection between sleep and memory loss, so the next time your bed starts to call your name, you should probably take heed and get your beauty rest.
