United States: The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)Trusted Source suggest, almost one in three American adults are suffering from sleep deprivation.
More about the case
Sleep deprivation is a condition caused by insufficient sleep over a long period.
Expert reports suggest that sleep is a vital physiological process that allows the body and brain to rest and get prepared to perform vital functions of the body.
However, in case of a dearth of sleep, one might face several short-term as well as long-term health effects.
How much is called enough sleep?
According to the Sleep Health Foundation, the amount needed by various persons depends on age and individual bodily requirements.
The foundation suggests that 9 to 11 hours of sleep is essential for school-age children, whereas teens require 8 to 10 hours.
Adults aged 18 to 64 require 8 to 10 hours of sound sleep, and older adults aged 65 and above require 7 to 8 hours of sleep.
Although generally noticed, adults tend to have a slightly lesser amount of sleep, which is meant to be essential for them.
Moreover, as per the experts, many aspects of sleep are also determined genetically, which makes some cope more easily with a lack of sleep, while others suffer more prominently from the side effects of lack of sleep, as healthline.com reported.
There are some detailed effects on the body when one doesn’t receive enough hours of sound sleep.
1. Sickness
As the researchers suggest, losing sleep leaves the body impaired in terms of the ability to fight against illnesses naturally, making a person susceptible to getting sick easily.
The study reveals a reciprocal relationship between sleep and the immune power of the body.
2. Heart health
As per the European Heart Journal, both short sleep of less than five hours and longer sleep of more than nine hours have a negative effect on heart health.
The experts suggest that in such cases, the probability of developing coronary heart disease or receiving a stroke rises multifold.
3. Cancer risk
The AASM’s sleep report suggests that less sleep has a direct correlation with a higher chance of development of breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer, as healthline.com reported.
4. Cognitive decline
The study published by Experimental Brain Research involving eighteen men found that missing even one night’s sleep could bring a major cognitive thinking) problems.
Brain functions such as memory recollection, decision-forming, and problem-solving abilities decline considerably, along with poor reaction and alertness.
5. Libido decline
The experts show that with less sleep, the drive for sex also reduces considerably.
As per a studyTrusted Source, young men with lesser sleeping cycles over a one-week period revealed a downfall in testosterone levels.
Moreover, men also reported having an overall mood and strength reduction with each subsequent interrupted rest.