It never feels good to have a restless night, but can you actually get sick from a lack of sleep? The answer is yes, not getting enough sleep can cause sickness. Unfortunately, many of us aren’t getting sufficient sleep, as 1 in 4 Americans suffer from a sleep disorder. Here’s how sleep is correlated to our health, how poor sleep can cause sickness, and tips for getting a better night’s sleep. For same-day health and wellness guidance, visit the walk-in clinic at AFC Urgent Care Union City!
How sleep is correlated to our health
Sleep affects our bodily functions and how we feel throughout the day. Whenever you have a bad night’s sleep, you may notice that you feel unusually foggy, hungry, and irritable. Going for prolonged periods with insufficient sleep can seriously impact our lives and health, causing high blood sugar, difficulty handling stress, memory problems, mood swings, and impaired reaction time.
Long-term sleep deprivation increases the risk of severe health problems like stroke, heart attack, hypertension, depression, anxiety, obesity, diabetes, and more. A chronic lack of sleep can shorten your lifespan.
How does poor sleep cause illness?
Besides the above issues, another side effect of losing sleep is a compromised immune system. When we don’t get enough sleep, we decrease our ability to fight off infection. People who frequently do not get enough rest tend to get sick more often. They are more susceptible to illnesses like the cold and flu, as well as other infections. These illnesses require rest for recovery, and someone who is already in the habit of not sleeping well may not be able to recover quickly or completely, leading to a vicious cycle of sickness and restlessness. Sleep deprivation can even make the flu vaccine less effective.
Research has shown that consistently getting less than the recommended amount of sleep causes bodily systems involved in the immune response to shut down. In sleep studies, just two nights of sleep deprivation decreased the number of white blood cells in subjects.
Sleep deprivation also affects the release of a type of protein called cytokines. Cytokines help the body manage stress, inflammation, and infections.
Insufficient sleep has also been proven to be linked to a higher risk of cancer. The National Sleep Foundation reported a link between female shift workers having a higher risk of breast cancer, and male shift workers having a higher risk of prostate cancer. Circadian rhythm disorders are also linked to a greater risk of tumors.
Tips for getting better sleep at night
Adults are recommended to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night to maintain optimal mental and physical health. Poor sleep quality can have a detrimental impact on all of our bodily functions, so it’s important to prioritize a good night’s rest. If you are unable to get the recommended number of hours of sleep at night, try to catch up by taking naps during the day. Even a short, 30-minute nap can help keep your immune system strong and improve your response to stress.
There are a few tips and tricks you can try to get better sleep at night. Be consistent by setting a bedtime for yourself and sticking to it every evening, including on weekends. You should also try to wake up at the same time each morning. Remove electronic devices from the bedroom, and try to avoid using screens right before bed. If possible, turn off screens an hour before bedtime.
Make sure your bedroom is optimized for healthy sleep by keeping it cool, dark, and quiet. Use a white noise machine or a fan instead of the TV if you can’t fall asleep without background noise. You may find that sleeping with a humidifier in the bedroom helps you breathe more comfortably and sleep easier. Avoid eating or drinking alcohol right before bed, and stop drinking caffeine eight hours before bedtime. Exercising during the day can help you fall asleep more easily.
