We have all pulled the occasional all-nighter to complete deadlines or have sacrificed sleep in order to squeeze more into our busy lifestyles.  Many of us at times have also had difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or sleeping in.  When people get less than 6 or 7 hours of sleep a night, disease risk increases.  According to some estimates, 90% of people with insomnia, a sleep disorder characterized by trouble falling and staying asleep, also suffer from some other health condition.  In a study throughout two decades of over 10,000 British civil servants, participants who had cut their sleep from 7 to 5 hours or less per night were found to have nearly doubled their risk of death.

What Does Sleep Do For You?
-Maintains a healthy heart. Lack of sleep has been associated with worsening of blood pressure and cholesterol, risk factors for heart disease and stroke.  A 10-year study performed by Harvard University tracked the sleep habits and health of more than 70,000 middle aged women, accounting for factors like age, weight and lifestyle.  The women who slept less than 5 hours per night were 40% more likely to suffer heart disease than those who slept an average of 8 hours.   A study from the American Heart Association reported that teens who slept less than 6.5 hours a night were more than twice as likely to have high blood pressure.

-Reduces inflammation and cancer precursors. Inadequate sleep elevates the body to a state of alertness, which increases blood pressure, production of cortisol and other stress hormones.  Elevated stress hormones raise inflammation markers in the body, contributing to cancer, diabetes and heart risk.  Recent studies suggest that sleep is not only affected by nighttime light exposure (eg. TV, computer screens) but also that light exposure may contribute to cancer development.  Light interferes with secretion of melatonin, a hormone that influences circadian rhythms by causing sleepiness.  Melatonin also appears to suppress tumor growth.

-Improves alertness. Lack of sleep can affect our interpretation of events and the ability to make accurate judgments.  People may feel they’ve adapted to sleep deprivation yet testing on mental alertness and performance in these individuals reflects cognitive decline.  According to Mark Mahowald, neurology professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School: “One complete night of sleep deprivation is as impairing in simulated driving tests as a legally intoxicating blood-alcohol level.”
-Boosts memory. A process called memory consolidation occurs during sleep, mostly during deep REM phases.  While the body rests, the brain processes events from the day, connecting experiences, feelings and sensory input.  These “sharp wave ripples” transfer learned information from the hippocampus to the neocortex of the brain, where long-term memories are stored.

-May aid in weight loss. The hormones, ghrelin and leptin, which regulate appetite, are disrupted by lack of sleep.  Ghrelin stimulates hunger, and leptin signals satiety.  Shortened sleep time not only affects these hormones but also stimulates cravings for high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods.  A study by U.S. scientists found that people who slept less than six hours a night were 4.5 times more likely to develop abnormal blood sugar readings in six years compared with those who slept longer.  In fact, just one sleepless night can hamper the body’s ability to use insulin to process sugar in the bloodstream.  Repetitive sleepless nights can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.

-Reduces risk for depression. Sleep impacts serotonin and affects mood.  In a 2007 study of 10,000 people, those with insomnia were 5 times as likely to develop depression as those without.  Poor sleep and depression often feed off one another: sleep loss can aggravate depression while depression makes it more difficult to sleep.

-Helps the body repair. While sleeping, our cells produce more protein, which allows them to repair damage caused by stress, UV rays and other harmful exposures.  Sleep loss causes the body to release too little human growth hormone, which promotes growth in childhood and helps increase muscle mass, thicken skin and strengthen bones with age.  Excess cortisol from chronic loss of sleep can break down skin collagen, leading to early aging, pale skin, fine lines and dark under-eye circles.

-Regulates libido. Sleep-deprived men and women report lower libidos and less interest in intimate encounters due to depleted energy and increased tension.  Men with sleep apnea, a respiratory problem that interrupts sleep, also secrete abnormally low levels of testosterone.  Women with this condition reflect low levels of progesterone.
Moral of the story?  Catch your Zzzs!

Be the Difference.

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