Negative Effects of Insomnia
Even with all the long years of research and study, it remains unclear why the human body needs sleep. But one thing is for sure: if you don’t get the recommended eight hours of sleep every night, it will have devastating effects on your health. Here are some of the negative effects of long-term insomnia:
Decreased Fertility
Sleep disorders are found to have distressing effects on people who are trying to conceive, and it is a condition that affects men and women alike. The region of the brain responsible for controlling circadian rhythms is also in charge of regulating the release of reproductive hormones.
Getting less than seven hours of sleep regularly may result in reduced levels of testosterone in men as well as the hormones that activate ovulation in women. These can conception more challenging.
Anxiety and Depression
Many people are irritable if they didn’t sleep well the night before, but long-term sleep deprivation is also associated with a more general loss of motivation and clinical depression.
Meanwhile, patients suffering from depression usually have irregular sleep schedules. The hormone melatonin regulates both mood regulation and sleep cycles. In fact, lower melatonin levels are usually observed in people with insomnia and those suffering from depression.
Panic attacks and anxiety are also common reactions for people who struggle with chronic sleep deprivation and deficiency. They have been proven to show lower tolerance even for mild stressors in their everyday life. Similar to depression, it can sometimes be tricky to understand what really came first, if it is the sleep disorder followed by anxiety or the other way around.
Diabetes
It is still not enough to get only five hours of sleep at night. Studies have revealed that sleep deprivation may also disrupt how the body processes glucose that serves as fuel for cells as well as the insulin amount produced by the body. It is the reason why it is regarded as a critical risk factor in the development of type 2 diabetes.
