5 Effects Of Sleep Deprivation You May Not Know About

Here at Mattress Warehouse we care deeply about your sleep. As a company whose goal is to provide the world with a peaceful night's rest, we often hear from lots of overworked people who can't get enough sleep because of their mattress, their schedule, or any number of factors. While most everyone knows that you need enough sleep, and can name the basic reasons why a lack of sleep is bad, they do not consider the large number of harmful effects sleep deprivation has on a person. Hopefully these 5 effects open your eyes as to why you need to close your eyes more often.

5 Effects Of Sleep Deprivation

Weight Gain

When you don't get adequate sleep night after night, not only are you risking your peace of mind but also your figure. A 2004 study shows that if you sleep less than 6 hours a day, you are 30% more likely to become obese than those who sleep 7 to 9 hours a day. With less sleep, you are also more likely to crave high carb, high fat foods, and are more likely to have a slow metabolism. Who knew sleeping could help with your beach body?

Bad Skin

Consistent lack of sleep causes the body to release more cortisol, a stress hormone, which can break down skin collagen, the protein responsible for keeping skin smooth. It also causes the body to release too little Human Growth Hormone. Thus, getting too little sleep can not only lead to dark circle and puffy eyes, but to fine lines and wrinkles.

Heightened Cancer Risk

There is a growing number of studies which link a lack of sleep nightly to the risk of developing cancer, especially breast and prostate cancer. These studies show an inverse relationship between the level of melatonin (The chemical produced by your body while sleeping) and risk of cancer. In fact, the link between sleeplessness and cancer has become so prevalent that the World Health Organization is considering labeling "Shift Work" as a carcinogen.

Memory Loss

There are three main stages of memory: for something to become a memory, first it must be acquired; in other words, you must learn or experience what will become the memory. Then the memory is consolidated, where the memory becomes stable in the brain. Finally, there's the recall stage, or having the ability to access the memory in the future. Both acquisition and recall occur during hours of consciousness, but consolidation happens largely while you sleep. Sleep deprivation makes it infinitely harder to store these memories. This affects all types of memories, from dinner plans for next week to how to ride a bike. So, if you are suffering from sleep deprivation, you will have a heck of a time learning anything new, as those memories will be hard pressed to be stored.

Lost Sense Of Own Performance

When you are used to consistently running on low sleep, you may fall victim to a trick your body plays on itself. In many cases, people who get less than 6 hours of sleep each night feel like they have adjusted, and are used to working under that amount of sleep and therefore can perform just fine. Little do you know you've been caught in the sleep deprivation trap. Sleep deprivation makes you a poor judge of your own performance, and even though you may feel as good as new, those who suffered from sleep deprivation often scored much lower on performance tests.

Stop suffering from sleep deprivation today. Visit us online to find a new mattress that fits your needs and get the sleep you deserve tonight.