We have all experienced the occasional long restless night of tossing and turning, but continued sleep loss takes its toll. Science has shown us that a lack of sleep can make you sick. Roughly 1 in 4 Americans struggle with a sleep disorder, leading to many long-term health effects from weight gain to a weakened immune system1.
Our bodies need sleep like we need air. By sleeping less than 7 hours a night, you run the risk of severe health problems like stroke, heart attack, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, and more. Another powerful side effect of too little sleep is decreased efficiency of our body's ability to fight off infection.
The immune system produces protective, infection-fighting substances like antibodies and cytokines during sleep. We need our immune system robust now more than ever to fight off foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses. A weakened immune system makes it challenging to recover from contracted illnesses and makes us prone to getting sick more often.
While we are sleeping, our chemical balance gets restored throughout the body, allowing time to heal and rejuvenate. During the various stages of sleep, our body produces chemicals that help our body systems restore, recover from illness and consolidate our memories while our emotions regulate.
If you find yourself unable to get adequate sleep at night, a 30 min nap during the day can help decrease stress and revitalize the body's immune system. Keeping a regular sleep cycle is imperative as our body has an internal 24-hour biological clock that requires regularity.
If you experience problems sleeping at night, wake up frequently, have trouble falling asleep, or consistently feel fatigued during the day, contact the North Suffolk Neurology experts today for a comprehensive evaluation. For all in-office appointments & inquiries,please call (631) 364-9119. Don't allow too many nights of inadequate sleep to get in the way of your health.
North Suffolk Neurology is a full-service Neurology, Headache Medicine, and Sleep Medicine practice. Our neurologists are board certified with a commitment to help patients and their families maintain and improve health.
1 www.sleephealthsolutionsohio.com/blog/sleep-deprivation-immune-system/
