If you’ve ever experienced jet lag, you know that missing just one night of quality sleep can dramatically disturb the next day. Sleep is not a luxury, but rather an absolute necessity for your health as well as your overall social and professional functioning. If you don’t get enough quality sleep, every part of your life is going to suffer. For those who have struggled with insomnia or otherwise haven’t achieved the sleep they need for a long time, lack of daily functioning can seem “normal.” This is especially true in a culture and society where bragging about lack of sleep is the norm. It’s time to reassess the importance of sleep and find the right, healthy tools to get the sleep you need to improve your quality of life and properly function.
One of the most common things that happens with lack of sleep is “brain fog.” You simply can’t think as quickly or sharply when you don’t get enough sleep. Lack of sleep affects our ability to both process and remember information. This is going to inform our executive functioning, reasoning, decision making, and problem-solving. Of course, this a critical aspect of every part of our life, which means professional and personal relationships are going to suffer.
The Connection Between Sleep and Daily Functioning
In addition to not thinking as quickly, you’re simply not as alert when you don’t get enough sleep. It is estimated that missing just 90 minutes of “your” needed sleep (as it varies for everyone) will lead to negative feelings and decreased alertness. You won’t react as quickly, which can be dangerous in many circumstances—like when driving. Famously, driving tired has been compared to driving drunk.
You are three times more likely to get in a car crash when you sleep less than six hours per night according to the National Sleep Foundation. Other accident risks also increase. However, it’s not just external dangers that skyrocket with insomnia. There are various physical comorbidities associated with lack of sleep including diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and high blood pressure. Sleep is an essential part of our body’s proper functioning and healing process. Without it, your body simply can’t be as healthy.
The Risks of Lack of Sleep
Those who don’t get enough sleep also tend to have more mental health struggles than others. Specifically, anxiety and depression are linked to poor sleep, but many other mental health disorders are going to be triggered or exacerbated by lack of sleep. Additionally, those who don’t sleep enough tend to weigh more and are prone to gaining weight more easily. It has been estimated that those who get five or less hours of sleep per night are “significantly more likely to gain weight and become obese” compared to those who get seven or more hours of sleep, according to results from a three-year study.
Lack of sleep also means you will fall ill more often than others. This is due to a weakened immune system. When your body doesn’t get the sleep it needs, it doesn’t have the strength to fight off illnesses. Your libido will also suffer. Those with insomnia or who otherwise don’t get enough sleep aren’t as interested in sex. Finally, poor sleep is going to negatively affect your appearance, which can in turn decrease your self-image and self-esteem. In addition to the staple bags and dark circles under your eyes, lack of sleep has been connected to early signs of aging and uneven skin tone.
Sleep and Health
Health does not exist in a silo. When we are struggling in one part of our life, such as with sleep, it is going to leak into every other area. Sleep is a necessity. We need it to function. However, particularly for those with chronic insomnia, depending on medications can be risky in some circumstances. That’s why a supplement that is all-natural and organic is a must as part of an improved sleep hygiene routine.
Sip2Sleep® was developed by a sleep doctor and founded in research that shows just how melatonin-rich Montmorency tart cherries are. This drinkable supplement combines just two ingredients: tart cherry extract and Venetron®, which is derived from plant leaves and is renowned for its anti-stress effects. Learn more about Sip2Sleep® and how it can help improve not only your sleep, but your daily functioning.