What Happens When You Don’t Sleep
We all know that we should be aiming for about eight hours of shut-eye each night. But despite that, 35 percent of adults get seven hours or fewer. While that may not seem like a big deal, sleep-deprivation has some serious effects on your body – beyond just making you cranky. So what happens to your body when you don’t log enough hours between the sheets? Turns out, a lot…
REDUCES YOUR BRAIN CAPACITY
Losing just one hour of sleep reduces your ability to process memories and retain knowledge (studies have shown that your brain sorts and stores information while sleeping) — and your short term memory is affected too, resulting in diminishing ability to recall what you learned that day.
WEAKENS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
Getting less than seven hours of shut eye is also bad for your health. Lack of sleep weakens your immune system — one study found it tripled your risk of coming down with a cold — and increases your risk of cardiovascular disease.
AFFECTS YOUR WEIGHT
Because too little sleep makes it harder for your body to properly metabolize food, it also affects your ability to lose or maintain your weight. For some, lack of sleep may even reduce your sex drive.
So stop pushing yourself when you’re really just holding your body back. Get in bed and give yourself the sleep it deserves. Browse our blog for some helpful tips.
