7 Ways Poor Sleep Effects Your Health

When you have a bad night’s sleep, you know you aren’t at your best the next day. You might be grumpy, groggy, slow or ill-tempered. But did you know that the effects of poor sleep can also have longer lasting effects on your health and quality of life? Here are seven undesirable side effects of sleeplessness:

1. Insomnia and depression go hand in hand. Depression can make more difficult to fall asleep, and lack of sleep can aggravate depression symptoms. It’s a vicious circle. Fortunately, treating one problem can also lead to improvements with the other.
2. Lack of sleep effects your appearance. Your body repairs itself while you sleep, and nowhere is this more apparent than on your face. Frequent sleepless nights lead to a puffy appearance, with dark circles under your eyes, fine lines and droopy, lackluster skin.
3. Sleep loss leads to weight gain. Research shows that when you don’t get enough sleep, you are more likely to crave high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods. This is why any weight loss regimen should also include adequate time for sleep.
4. Sleepless nights can kill your sex drive. Men and women alike often report that poor sleep has a negative effect on their libido. Irritability and lack of energy are major factors here, and lack of sleep can lead to lower levels of testosterone production at night.
5. Tired people are more accident prone. Daytime sleepiness is a frequently cited factor in workplace accidents, as well as automobile crashes. This represents a public safety issue we should all be concerned about.
6. Insomnia puts you at risk for other major health problems. From heart disease to high blood pressure and even diabetes, lack of sleep lowers your body’s defenses.
7. Sleeplessness effects your ability to think clearly. A good night’s sleep helps your brain consolidate thoughts and memories, and helps you be alert the next day. Concentration, reasoning, problem solving – all of these processes are impaired when you don’t get enough sleep.