Sleep Well or Else…
There is a good reason why people are advised to get at least eight hours of sleep each day. Have you been sleep deprived lately? Chances are, you know the perfect answer why getting quality sleep is as good as getting the right quantity of sleep. Not having slept well can just drain you of the right energy to make you go through with your day, not to mention feeling cranky at almost anything trivial.
Lack of sleep can have serious consequences. In fact, many vehicular accidents have been linked to sleep deprivation. To sleep is to find your bliss and healing, you hear a wise man say. Your body is a complex organism that is capable of healing itself, without synthetic pills. When you are rested, your body tries to heal and fix all the chemical imbalances within, making sure your blood sugar levels are balanced. If you’re not sleeping enough, you are sabotaging this very process.
Sleep is also vital in keeping your brain healthy. When you lack sleep, you just can’t focus on anything. It seems like a fog has entered your brain and it’s hard to recall. A chain reaction then begins. You become moody and depressed, for no apparent reason. Since your blood sugar levels are in haywire, you tend to crave for unhealthy food and gain weight in the process. Thanks to the production of the stress hormone called Cortisol, you are now likely a candidate for weight gain – specially in your belly area.
Do you really need all that sleep? Yes. Adults can do well with 5-6 hours and less than that is a red flag. When you go to sleep, your body goes under different REM stages, which in turn assists in the proper healing of your body, from the inside to the outside. Since you don’t sleep well at nights, you rob your body the ability to reach full sleep cycles that will aid in your healing. Sleep is just important for your overall well-being, no doubt about that. All you need is to deprive yourself a good night’s sleep for a day and see if you like the way you’re feeling.
Can sleep help you achieve immunity? Yes. Studies show that those who sleep well have greater levels of white blood cells that fight diseases. Those who sleep more have better defense against pathogens that can cause you to catch cold. With the flu pandemic going on, the key to making your immune system strong is not only to stock up on Vitamin C, Echinacea, and other health supplements – but simply get some sleep. A recent study shows that those subjects who are sleep deprived catches cold faster than those who are not, when exposed to the cold virus.
Can you die from lack of sleep? Gradually… YES. Extended days of sleep deprivation can cause a chain reaction that will eventually kill. Since you are not properly healed, your cortisol and TSH levels rises, causing high blood pressure. Your body stops metabolizing glucose properly and you crave for bad carbs. Your body temperature then drops, together with your immune system. Extreme levels of stress can cause a person’s demise and we hear news of people collapsing to death while working.
The current financial turmoil may lead more people sleepless as they try to make sense of sudden unemployment and a mountain of debts. This doesn’t justify a person’s need to be sleepless. There are natural and better ways to sleep well without getting addicted to sleeping pills. Bottom line is, you still need quality sleep and if you can extend it to at least eight hours a day, then do so. Sleep and Be Healthy!
A video on Sleep Deprivation by Dr. Robert Gorski, M.D:
