As confirmed by recent studies conducted at the Cleveland Clinic Sleep Disorder Center, the lack of sleep or sleep deprivation results in numerous health risks. We often consider sleep to be a luxury and not a primary necessity which is why many of us make the mistake of underestimating its importance.
Sleep is necessary in order to restore the nutrients, get energy and rest the mind.
We spoke with Dr. Lara Fratticci , Neurologist of Humanitas.
What are the symptoms of sleep deprivation?
“Commonly, the feeling of having little energy, difficulty concentrating and constant fatigue are symptoms of lack of sleep,” says Dr. Fratticci. “In addition to affecting your mood, lack of sleep can also manifest itself through neurological disorders such as:
- Hallucinations
- Blurred vision
- Memory loss
Numerous clinical trials carried out in the past, and confirmed by recent studies, have shown that sleep is necessary for survival. Dr. Fratticci explains that “Its deficiency, causes patients to suffer sensory hallucinations, a drop in performance, attention loss, frequency of so-called micro-sleep during the day and difficulty concentrating”.
The entire immune system is compromised. Clinical trials also confirm a connection with pre-diabetes; in addition, women used to sleeping less than seven hours per night are more likely to suffer from a coronary event than women who sleep the normal eight hours per night.
What are the main consequences of sleep deprivation?
The main consequences of sleep deprivation are:
- asthenia, which is significant tiredness
- disorders of attention, concentration and memory, especially at work
- excessive sleepiness during daytime
- disorder of mood
- anxiety and irritability
It is also important to remember that sleep regulates hormones such as the thyroid and the growth hormone. In fact, during sleep the concentration of anabolic hormones such as prolactin and testosterone increases.
Lack of sleep is also associated with memory disorders and fertility problems. According to a British study in 2013, sleep deprivation can edit up to 700 genes. According to data, in Italy there are few who get eight hours of sleep a night; Moreover, in the last 30 years on average we lost two hours of sleep a night.
Does lack of sleep affect the risk of obesity?
Sleep deprivation can cause an alteration of thyroid functions and an increase in the sensation of hunger, especially in respect to foods and sweets which contain high levels of calories and sugars. Increased hunger is determined by the alteration in the levels of hormones such as ghrelin, leptin and cortisol.
Cortisol, also known as “the stress hormone“, is greatly reduced thanks to a good night’s sleep.
When we don’t sleep we tend to eat more therefore causing a stress that reduces energy consumption and alters the glucose metabolism. A strong correlation has also been noticed between lack of sleep and diabetes, and an increase in insulin resistance. Sleep also maintains the balance of cytokines present in our bodies which protect the immune system.
