| Sleep Is Not A Waste Of Time Sleep Deprivation Is Lethal |
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| Written by Liz Beresford |
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"I just don't have time to sleep, it is such a waste of time!" Is this how you feel about sleep? Just too busy to fit in eight hours of shut eye every night? Do you feel proud of taking less sleep than other people? I have to tell straight up, you are very mistaken. Sleep deprivation is so dangerous that it can even kill you. It isn't a waste of time to sleep it is simply a fact of life. We must sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation occurs when you have built up a sleep debt over several weeks or more. The scientific research shows many problems arise when sleep deprivation is allowed to build up like this. Here are just a few of the known effects: - Lack of sleep reduces your life span. Long term studies show that death from all causes is highest amongst adults who get less than 7 hours sleep a night. -The immune system is impaired by sleep deprivation. Sleep researcher Eve van Cauter at the University of Chicago gave flu vaccine to subjects who had slept only four hours per night for the previous six nights. Their immune systems produced only half the normal number of antibodies in response. Wow that means their chance of fighting off the bug was half what it should have been! Sleep deprivation could kill you if you came in contact with a serious infection. Also in that study: a) Blood pressure was raised as was heart rate b) Insulin resistance, a pre-diabetic condition that affects glucose tolerance and produces weight gain, developed. c) Leptin, a hormone that inhibits appetite, was reduced. That is why sleep deprivation can result in weight gain. Other studies have shown similar results. -Intellectual performance and the ability to think critically is severely reduced. - Reaction time dips, dangerous in many situations such as driving, operating dangerous machinery or caring for small children. Numerous accidents have been laid at the door of lack of sleep. When combined with alcohol sleep deprivation becomes a killer. If you have a large sleep debt you are a danger not just to yourself but also to those you live or work with. Serious accidents happen every day and many are caused by sleep deprivation. Do you recall the Exon Valldize? It was thought at first that it was caused by alcohol, but later sleep deprivation was considered to be the main cause. While most would not drive when drunk the idea of driving when tired does not set off the same alarm bells, but it should. The mixture of tiredness plus alcohol adds to the risk. So the bottom line is that no matter how hard it is to follow a sensible sleep routine you must do it. Going to bed late on a regular basis and suffering from chronic sleep deprivation can be lethal for you or for someone you else. Insomnia is a problem for many people today and it is usually caused by stress and anxiety. If this is you its important that you learn how to relax. Basic sleep hygiene is also very important. About Author: If you are having trouble getting enough sleep you should now check out the Sleep Sound Insomnia CD. Just listen when you are ready to go to sleep and go to sleep easily and quickly. 100% guarantee Kindly provided by 4Girls.dk You are welcome to use this article on your own website, if you include this link. |