We know that sleep is essential, but do you know exactly what sleep deprivation can do to you? Not only can it make you less productive at work, but it can also age you both internally and externally. Read below for more information on the effects lack of sleep can have on your body and mind.
Lack of Sleep Affects Your Mind
In a study conducted by Psychology & Behavior, it was discovered that sleep deprivation could impact the brain’s maintenance of long-term memory storage. Mice deprived of REM sleep displayed a temporary retrograde amnesia when tested 30 minutes or three hours after their REM sleep cycles had been disrupted. Another study published in Essential Psychopharmacology examined the role sleep deprivation can play in our mental state. Alterations in endocrine and metabolic functions associated with sleep deprivation were linked to memory deficits and the advancement of the aging process.
Lack of Sleep Can Age You
Sleep deprivation not only ages your mind, it can also age your skin. Lack of sleep is one of the top causes of premature aging. In a study reported in Sleep which evaluated the visible signs of sleep deprivation, participants were perceived as having more hanging eyelids, redder and more swollen eyes, darker circles under the eyes, paler skin, more droopy corners of the mouth and more wrinkles and fine lines when they were short on sleep.
Lack of Sleep Increases Stress
Sleep deprivation affects the level of cortisol circulating in your body. This hormone regulates stress reactions such as blood sugar levels, blood pressure and the activation of your central nervous system. Additional sleep problems may result with persistently high cortisol levels. Chronic stress comes with a whole host of negative implications, such as anxiety, heart disease, weight gain and more sleep problems, which only exacerbates the whole situation.
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