Here's how sleep quality affects your health

2025-02-01 21:05:00, Shëndeti CNA

Your body uses sleep to strengthen the immune system, process information, and regain energy before a new day begins.

But what happens when you don't get enough sleep or when you don't get a restful sleep?

AgroWeb.org tells you below how sleep affects your health.

Weakens the immune system

Imagine your immune system as an army, always able to protect you from evil forces (infections and diseases).

Like an army, your immune system needs time to build its defenses.

When you sleep, your immune system prepares for "fight" by producing substances (antibodies and cytokines) that help fight infections or diseases.

Insufficient sleep weakens your immune system by preventing it from creating sufficient protection.

Breathing problems

Obstructive sleep apnea is a nighttime breathing disorder that can deprive you of sleep.

Sleep deprivation can make you more susceptible to the flu or the common cold, as well as worsen existing illnesses.

Heart problems

When it comes to heart disease, too much or not enough sleep can have a negative effect on your cardiovascular health.

Increased risk of cancer

A 2015 study, on which Agroweb.org was based, found that lack of sleep is linked to an increased risk of several types of cancer, such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, and oral cancer.

Increased risk of diabetes

Lack of sleep prevents your body from releasing enough insulin, a hormone that lowers blood sugar levels.

This can cause blood sugar levels to rise, which can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Problems with thinking

If you don't get enough sleep, your mind can become foggy, which can lead to problems with your memory, reasoning, reaction time, and even your creativity.

Weight gain

Since sleep affects the production of hormones that control hunger and satiety, its lack can cause late-night hunger.

Skin problems

Various studies have shown that women who didn't get enough sleep or who had poor sleep had more noticeable signs of skin aging.

It affects hormones

Sleep also has a major impact on hormone production, for example, testosterone production requires at least 3 hours of undisturbed sleep.

Affects mood.

Poor sleep can harm your mental and emotional state, making you more susceptible to mood swings.

When left untreated, sleep deprivation can even cause you to see or hear things that aren't really there. /AgroWeb.org