Anyone who has spent several hours tossing on the bed without sleep will appreciate the benefits of good sleep. Meanwhile, a ready solution has good sleep hygiene as a unique culture. If you find it difficult to get quality sleep, you will experience crankiness, tiredness, and dizziness the following day.
More importantly, you should do between 7 and 9 hours every night as an adult. Anything short of that implies that the following day may come with some grumpy and groggy feeling and laxity in productivity and you may need sleep hygiene products. Moreover, depriving yourself of sleep can bring about long-term adverse effects to the extent of affecting brain functionality.
For instance, lacking healthy sleep hygiene affects your mental ability while also putting your physical health at risk. Much scientific research has linked several health problems to a lack of restorative sleep hygiene. Some of these cases range from weight loss to weak immune systems. We may even mention the ability to think and concentrate and mood swings.
However, this article will focus on the effects of sleep hygiene on the entire body system. Let us begin with the causes of sleep deprivation and how it affects the whole body system in well-being and functionality.
Causes of Sleep Deprivation
First, sleep deprivation results from a consistent lack of sleep, leading to a reduced sleep quality over time. When you continuously give your body less than 7 hours of sleep, then it may result in what we know as sleep deprivation, which is the opposite of healthy sleep hygiene. This case may cause severe health consequences and may affect the entire body. On the other hand, sleep deprivation can result from some other underlying sleep disorder.
Just as we care about what to feed our body in terms of food and drink, we should also know that the body needs good sleep. Without the proper quality and quantity of sleep, it is difficult for the body to function at its optimum level. The sleep period is when the body recuperates from all stress and worn-out tissues. It heals itself from every imbalance or overuse of resources and body chemistry.
For example, the brain takes time to create new thought connections, refresh old memories and explore plans. This process is essential for both long-term and short-term memory retention. And without good sleep hygiene enough sleep, the brain, and the entire body will miss the recommended mark for healthy living. In the long run, it may reduce the quality of life.
Signs or Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation
Some signs are very conspicuous when it comes to sleep deprivation. By them, you can measure how well you are doing with your sleep hygiene and if your body is already calling for more quality sleep. The symptoms are as follows
- Frequent yarning, especially at odd, unexpected times
- Excessive sleepiness at every turn every day
- Irritability
- Lack of memory retention for a lengthy time
- Daytime fatigue without any physical stress
The above signs are just the most common ones; there are still several signs that may suggest that your sleep hygiene is not good enough. While some people have resorted to caffeine to stay awake, using such stimulants has side effects on your health. For example, using caffeine is not good enough when trying to override the need for the body to sleep. At the same time, when poor sleep hygiene is poor, it becomes difficult to fall asleep at night.
Furthermore, experiencing nighttime insomnia can occur as a cycle followed by daytime caffeine consumption. This situation can also combat some tiredness that brings about lost hours when you need a shut-eye. Poor sleep hygiene or chronic sleep deprivation can also affect the body’s internal systems. But let us weigh different sections of the body to examine the effects.
Central Nervous System (CNS)
The Central Nervous System comprises the brain, vertebral column, and connected nerves. It is the leading information highway of the body and coordinates all the affairs of the body. Therefore, getting good sleep is essential to the body for optimum function. At the same time, chronic insomnia disrupts that possibility. It becomes difficult for the body to send and process information correctly.
When we sleep, the nerve cells or neurons constitute a new pathway for the brain to perform its function. That function includes creating a new path for the information you have learned during your daily interaction. Without sleep, this process is not only impeded. It also leads to brain exhaustion, where many expected duties cannot be fulfilled. Moreover, the body may delay the signal or information sent to or from the brain, leading to a slow response.
Immune System
Good sleep is supposed to enhance your immune system and safeguard you against infections. However, the reverse is the case regarding sleeplessness because it affects the synthesis of antibodies and cytokines. The body should fight against foreign invaders, including viruses and bacteria. It is difficult for the body to build the right body forces and fend off the invaders from attacking the body with poor sleep hygiene.
Respiratory System
An interruption in the sleep flow or a lower sleep quality can affect one’s respiratory system. For instance, one can develop a breathing disorder known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). When you wake up at night without any necessary cause, it may lead to deprivation due to inadequate sleep hygiene. At least one may be exposed to some common respiratory infection, such as common flu or cold. In worst cases, chronic lung illness may also occur.
Digestive system
A substantial cause in the digestive process is a risk factor leading to being obese or overweight. Some of the activities may involve overeating or not exercising the body muscles. Sleep can also affect the levels of at least two hormones, ghrelin, and leptin. These hormones deal with the fullness and hunger in the body at the right time. If any of the two is disrupted, it can cause someone to be overweight without knowing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the other supported systems in the body that sleep affects include the cardiovascular and endocrine systems. While the former relates to the heart and blood vessels that control transportation, the endocrine system manages hormone synthesis at the right timing. If you seek to build healthy sleep hygiene, then you should do the needful.
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