Can Lack of Sleep Make You Sick?

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Do you feel like you get enough sleep? Is your life so jam-packed that sleep is only a dream? But it’s hard to multi-task when you’re asleep you say? Or I haven’t heard your husband snore? Are you pooped instead of a parent at the end of your day? Are you trying to exist on about five hours of sleep a night? Are you really doing yourself any favors? Is the gain on the front end worth what you may give up health wise on the back end?

If you wonder if anyone else is sleep deprived besides you, join the approximately 70 million other Americans according to The National Institute of Health who don’t get enough sleep. A lack of sleep actually wears down your fine tuned machine known as your body and you sustain physical, mental and emotional wear and tear that takes it toll on your health in a lot of negative ways. According to the sleep experts, this on-going wear and tear is not offset by sleeping in on Saturday or Sunday mornings.

To be specific, this wear and tear affects the body’s insulin resistance (meaning how well insulin and blood glucose work as a team) and increases the chance for metabolic syndrome which affects the metabolic processes in the body. You tend to see metabolic syndrome in a person who carries extra fat around their belly, almost like an inner tube. Along with the apple shape that the body takes on from that extra inner tube, blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol are usually all elevated.

Other studies suggest that too little sleep may play a role in obesity. How? Sleep deprivation seems to alter the hormones involved in appetite control and metabolism which affect how hungry you are and when you feel satisfied.

Not getting enough sleep may negatively affect inflammation in the body, especially chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, lupus, and chronic fatigue. As the body’s immune system is negatively impacted, pain and fatigue become more of an issue and quality of life takes a nose dive.

Sleep is the time that your body restores and maintains itself. Think of it like rebooting your computer. If you miss your sleep, sure you may be moody and crabby but you put yourself at risk for a lot of other health problems.

If you can’t sleep, decide if you need to see a sleep expert or visit a sleep clinic for help. If you know lifestyle is your big issue, take an up close and personal inventory. Maybe you’re overscheduled and hard as it may be, need to set limits and allow more time for sleep. Look at your habits and ask yourself what you might be doing to keep yourself awake such as drinking caffeine at night or working right up until you go to bed. Try some of these tips to help you get a good night’s sleep:

*Keep your room cool but not cold and dark.

*Aim for the same bedtime each night, even on weekends…the body likes routine and gets into a rhythm.

*Try a light carbohydrate snack before bed.

*Burn a lavender candle or spray lavender mist on your sheets. Aromatherapy can be relaxing and part of a mind set to prepare for sleep.

*Create your personal sleep ritual: play relaxing music, read a book or take a bath before bed.

*Set a worry time, think about your issues and then let them go for the night.

*Or journal your thoughts.

*If you mattress or pillows are old, consider a new set and try several until you find the ones that are comfortable for you.

If you thought sleep was expendable, think again. Getting a good night sleep may be just the answer to help keep you healthy now and in the future.