Some good reasons why your body cannot do without sleep

"Who needs sleep - you can sleep when you are dead?" How often have you heard friends or a member of your family say this?  Let's face it for those of us who feel we have things to do and places to be, sleep seems to be little more than a waste of time.

Despite our desire to make the most of every waking moment, we do all in fact need sleep. If you are reading this article you are clearly one of many GEMS members who have chosen to make this the year of taking charge of your health. There is no question that people who care about their bodies experience less downtime because of illness.

While GEMS will be there for you in thick and thin, wouldn't you rather enjoy life to the fullest instead of being sick just because you have not taken care of yourself?

Here are some good reasons why your body cannot do without sleep on an on-going basis.

Damaging to your health
Sleep is vital for the proper functioning of our bodies, a link having been found between sleep deprivation and a number of medical conditions, some of which are serious. For example, insufficient sleep - less than an average of seven hours of sleep a night for adults - can lead to memory loss, weight fluctuations, a weakened immune system, high blood pressure and even heart disease. From this we can see that getting enough sleep is as important to us as a balanced diet and exercise.

A high price
Insufficient sleep can also affect our daily lives and activities. We have all had nights in which we have not had enough sleep; we tend to pay a high price for it the next day. We feel constantly tired and like we might nod off to sleep at any time and it certainly isn't good for our productivity at work. If we work with heavy machinery or drive every day a lack of sleep may cause us to feel drowsy and lose concentration. These lapses may cause falls, mistakes and accidents.

Memory loss
Having trouble remembering where you put your car keys or when your best friend's birthday is? This may be caused by a lack of sleep and it can be remedied by ensuring that you get a good night's rest on regular basis. By getting your average seven hours you give your brain a chance to consolidate memories, learn daily tasks and make decisions.

Weight fluctuations
When your body is forced to stay awake, it finds it difficult to regulate blood sugar and leptin. Leptin is a hormone that regulates your appetite and metabolism. The poor regulation of blood sugar and leptin could potentially lead to type 2 diabetes and weight gain. Sleeping is one of the simplest ways to help your body remain at a healthy weight, coupled with a healthy diet of course.

Weakened immune system
Can you feel those sniffles coming on a bit more often these days? Sleeping is essential for your body to repair tissue, assist in muscle growth and also protein synthesis. This generally only happens when we are asleep. Depriving yourself of sleep can make you more vulnerable to infections such as the common cold because your body is not given the chance to repair daily wear and tear. A person who gets enough sleep is healthier in general.

High blood pressure
Sleeping gives the heart a bit of a break as it slows down for several hours. Cutting back on sleep leads to your heart working overtime. Depriving yourself of sleep constantly leads to your body having to accommodate new conditions and elevates your overall daily blood pressure. Not getting enough sleep also diminishes your brain's ability to regulate stress hormones. This can become permanent and may lead to elevated blood pressure.

Heart disease
A chronic lack of sleep produces certain hormones and chemicals in the body, which can lead to an increased risk of stroke and heart disease.

Recharge your batteries
Today there is so much stimulation available to us at night after work including television, games and computers. This encourages many us to stay awake much later than we should and causes us to get insufficient sleep.

Our bodies are not designed to stay awake for days on end. We need to recharge our ‘batteries' just as we do with our cell phones. Do you ever forget to charge your cell phone? Not likely! Why then do you neglect to ‘re-charge' your own body through sleep?

Sleep gives our bodies time to repair and re-energise. This leads to a better quality of life and work productivity. Make sure you get your seven hours of sleep a night to stay healthy and cut down on those sick days spent in bed.
 
References
http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/sleep/basics/5-effects-of-sleep-deprivation.htm
http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/need-sleep/whats-in-it-for-you/health
http://sleepdeprivation-solution.blogspot.com/2011/03/sleep-deprivation-and-its-effects.html