The Cost of Not Getting A Good Nights Sleep

I recently came across a very informative article in Science News by Tina Hesman Saey. At the Neck Pain Support Blog we focus on neck pain and how to get rid of it. We also focus on how to reduce neck pain so that you can sleep comfortably through the night. In her article entitled “Dying to Sleep”, Saey states that getting too little sleep can impair the body and the brain. She shows that recent research shows that not getting enough sleep can be deadly and very harmful to one’s health. Here are some of the consequences of not getting the right amount of sleep every night:

• Some of the obvious consequences include being irritable and not being able to function as well. Studies have shown that students don’t learn or perform as well as their well-rested peers.
• Obesity, Heart Disease, high blood pressure and diabetes and decreased life span
• Saey states that new studies show that a new study links sleep loss to Alzheimer’s disease.
• Not getting enough sleep night after night can cause changes in ones brain- predisposing people to mental disorders such as depression.
• A lack of sleep can also increase levels of inflammatory chemicals in one’s blood and increase hunger promoting hormones.

The way I see it, sleep is one of those things that your body needs.. Just like water, rest, exercise, and nourishment. If it does not get it, the body and brain will pay the price in the future.

Stay tuned. In the next blog post I will be discussing how sleep deprivation affects our driving- and how some people are not as affected as others.

Source: Dying to Sleep by Tina Hesman Saey Science News

Additional Reading:

• 6 Ways to Get A Better Night's Sleep
• Counting Sheep to Fall Asleep, Does it Work?
• Why Adequate Neck Support While You Sleep Is Vital To Stop Neck Pain
• Simple Tips to Sleep
• Natural Sleep Secrets to Cure your Insomnia