Sleep deprivation can slow your reaction time and make everyday activities dangerous.
When you wake up in the morning after a restless night of sleep, you don’t feel your best. Your body aches, you feel groggy, and you bump into walls and pets and dressers as you make your way to the kitchen for a glass of water. You manage to shuffle your way to work, and can only hope there’s enough coffee in the office to get you through the day. When sleep deprivation becomes a regular part of your life, you aren’t yourself and no amount of caffeine can restore your brain to fully functioning alertness.
Physical Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation can actually do more than make your day difficult. If it becomes a chronic issue, sleep deprivation can lead to long lasting health problems. When you don’t get enough sleep, fatigue sets in and wreaks havoc. Serious and prolonged fatigue is a common cause of accidents and injury in the workplace and on the roads. Additionally, sleep deprivation over a long period of time can double your risk of cardiovascular disease. That’s not the only health risk that sleep deprivation and insomnia can cause. Things like strokes, diabetes, and high blood pressure are often associated with a lack of sleep.
In addition to increasing the likelihood of illness and disease, sleep deprivation can have other physical side effects. When you miss hours of sleep, your body becomes stressed and releases the stress hormone cortisol. This hormone breaks down the collagen in your skin and can cause premature wrinkles and other signs of age. On top of this, when you consistently miss a couple of hours of sleep, your body works harder and in turn, your appetite increases. This can lead to weight gain.
Mental Effects
Sleep deprivation can affect the way your mind works both on a short-term and a long-term basis. When you lose sleep, your mind loses the ability to consolidate and retain memories. Cramming for a big test may seem like your best option, but without a proper amount of sleep, the memories of what you learned probably won’t stick as well as they would with a good night of sleep. As we discussed earlier, sleep deprivation also causes fatigue. On the other side of the coin, sleep loss can lead to long-term mental effects like depression. Insomnia and depression are quite intertwined and often go hand-in-hand.
Shop All American Mattress
One of the simplest ways to turn sleep into a treasure and not a chore is to find a mattress that makes you seriously comfortable. This will not only get you excited about sleep, but it will make it easier to have a restful night. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with your local mattress and furniture experts at All American Mattress. Stop by or contact All American Mattress at 410-451-9006 today! We have all of the brand names you know and trust at affordable prices. With the areas only commission-free sales staff, All American Mattress’ staff will help you pick out the right bed for your comfort and your budget.
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