All people feel a little differently about sleeping. Some wish they didn't have to do it at all, and so would gain those extra hours in their day. Others --like me-- think that sleeping is one of the most pleasurable things on Earth. And one which they wish they had much more time for!
Whether you love your nightly rest or wish it weren't a necessity, there's still a good chance you're not getting enough sleep. Hundreds of years ago, humans had to sleep and rise along with the setting of the sun. But with the advent of artificial light, we as a species get far less sleep than we used to-- a full 500 hours less a year, as a matter of fact. But not getting enough sleep has more of an effect than simply leaving you a bit groggy on a Monday morning. Sleep depravation can cause a whole host of issues... some of which can, in time, have a real effect on your quality of life.
Not Getting Enough Z's
Nobody really understands how and why sleep works as it does; but they do understand that it's one of the body's most important activities. During sleep, your cells renew and are replaced. The brain also works to process all of the information you've received during the course of the day (which is why you often wake up in the morning with, say, a much clearer idea of which guy on an internet dating website you'd really like to go out than you did when you went to bed). Sleep helps you to learn, to store your memories, and basically keeps you sane.
We've all had a sleepless night or two in our lives, whether by choice or circumstance. And we know how even that one night makes us feel: groggy, moody, distracted. But a lack of sleep also has physical side effects. Not getting enough sleep reduces your metabolism --which means that you'll have greatly reduced energy levels-- and raises the levels of stress hormones in your body. It also makes the immune system unable to function to maximum efficiency (scientists believe that your body's immune system does its "maintenance" while you're getting some shut-eye), making poor sleepers much more vulnerable to infection. Over a short period of time, not getting enough sleep causes those effects to intensify, making it difficult to function both physically and mentally.
Long-Term Consequences
When you catch up on your sleep right away, the effects of sleep deprivation quickly disappear. You're back to your normal self in no time at all-- as long as you keep getting enough sleep. However, not getting the sleep you need during a long period of time can be really detrimental to your health. In fact, a lack of sleep can lead to some surprising diseases and disorders.
One of these is obesity. A chronic inability to get enough sleep will, over time, have an effect on the levels of the hormones that control hunger in the body. When the body suffers a lack of sleep, these hormones can go out of whack, making the body crave more food than it really needs. Over time, this can lead to all sorts of physical problems, including heart disease and diabetes.
Even when long-term sleep depravation doesn't cause obesity, it can still lead to Type 2 Diabetes in some sufferers. While you're sleeping, your body is at work regulating the sugar levels in your blood; when you don't get enough sleep, your body can, over time, slowly become more resistant to insulin. And it's this insulin resistance that leads to diabetes.
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
If you're anything like me, getting up in the morning is going to be difficult no matter how much sleep you get (I'm thinking I should put "nap nut" in my internet dating profile, actually!). So it can often be hard to tell if you're getting enough sleep, especially since every person's sleep needs are a little different. You may need just 6 hours of sleep, while your partner needs the full "doctor prescribed" 8 hours. So how do you strike a balance?
Like with anything, the important thing is to listen to your body. If you often get sleepy during the day (and, like me, wish you could take a long nap every afternoon) and tend to fall asleep very quickly when your head hits the pillow, you might not be getting enough sleep. And if the short term consequences of not getting your "40 winks" a night aren't enough to convince you to get a little extra shut-eye, the long-term ones should be.
Sure, you've got lots to do... but feeling groggy and slow throughout the day (or even having to deal with a new medical malady) is probably going to slow you down a lot more than that extra hour or two of sleep a night.
