Sleep and Disease Risk

Many people think there are little consequences to having poor sleep, however it can actually affect our long-term health. Research has shown that a higher risk for chronic disease is associated with consistently not getting enough sleep. It is important to view sleep as a priority, rather than a luxury, to prevent many serious medical conditions.

All of us are aware of the connection between sleep and our ability to function each day; poor sleep often leads to bad moods, an inability to focus and fatigue. However, many of us don’t realize that consistent poor sleep is associated with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Further research has even shown that regularly sleeping for over nine hours can also lead to poor health.

Many studies have found the connection between poor sleep and weight gain. Trials have shown that people who regularly sleep for under six hours per night were more likely to have an above average body mass index (BMI), while people with the lowest BMI sleep for eight hours. Along with lack of exercise and overeating, sleep is now known as a risk factor for obesity.

When we sleep, our bodies secrete hormones that maintain our metabolism, glucose processing, and control our appetite. Not having enough sleep disturbs the balance of these and many other hormones. Cortisol, often known as the stress hormone, is increased following poor sleep. Additionally, inadequate sleep increases our bodies’ secretion of insulin after a meal. The hormone insulin regulates glucose processing and encourages fat storage, therefore weight gain is associated with higher levels of insulin, which increases a person’s risk of diabetes.

Sleep deprivation also results in lower levels of leptin (a hormone that tells our brain we have had enough food) and higher levels of ghrelin (a substance that stimulates appetite). Thus, poor sleep can lead to cravings for food even after consuming sufficient calories. It is also more likely for someone to consume foods like sweets to satisfy the need for a quick energy boost. Inadequate sleep can also result in being too fatigued to burn these extra calories by exercising.

Because poor sleep can easily result in a person being irritable and moody, it is possible that continuous insufficient sleep can result in long-term mood disorders. Depression, anxiety, and mental distress have been associated with chronic sleep issues. A single study showed that people who slept four hours each night demonstrated decreased optimism and sociability. Once returning to a normal sleep schedule, the subjects’ mood improved drastically.

Sleep and disease risk. Harvard Medical School. (n.d.). Retrieved March 29, 2021, from http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/consequences/sleep-and-disease-risk