Bad sleep side effects: How bad sleep can affect your whole life

How much sleep do you get each night? It's a question that people rarely ask themselves, or rarely take seriously for that matter. But the truth is, how much sleep you get can greatly affect your life in many ways. When we don't have enough sleep, it can lead to mood swings and depression, which in turn can affect relationships with friends, significant others, and even coworkers/bosses. And if we are always tired at work, it can be more difficult to focus on tasks or even answer phone calls from clients who need support for their own business!

It is obvious that bad sleep can affect more than just us, but what are some of the bad sleep side effects that we should be aware of? No matter what age you are or what stage of life you are living in, these bad sleep side effects can impact you. Here are some things to key in on if you are someone that misses a lot of sleep and notices that it does more than just make you more tired during your daily life.

Bad sleep side effects

Constant exhaustion

When you sleep well, your body can recover from many things. Your immune system becomes stronger and more robust, which helps to ward off illness. You have better focus throughout the day if you are not exhausted every morning when you wake up. And did we mention that lack of sleep makes us less resistant to hunger? Which leads to more weight gain and more risk of chronic diseases.

If you are constantly exhausted from bad sleep or a bad mattress, you are not giving your body the chance to recover from the challenges you may have faced during the previous day. This can lead to the onset of sickness, as well as weight gain, and more points detailed below. Give your body what it needs by getting good sleep and avoid these bad sleep side effects.

Mental health deterioration

A lack of sleep can not only lead to depression, but anxiety and impulsivity as well. These mental health issues are brought on by a lack of the neurochemical serotonin that is released when we get quality sleep. This causes our brains to be unable to process information properly, which leads us into emotional turmoil or reacting without thinking about consequences.

A study conducted by the American Psychological Association found that even a single sleepless night can trigger anxiety. If you're feeling down or not functioning well, it may be due to sleep deprivation. If this is an ongoing issue, there are many treatments for insomnia and other strange sleeping patterns such as narcolepsy and apnea. Be sure to give yourself the time to rest and a good place to rest, because it cannot be stated enough how important this is for your health.

Physical health problems

Unfortunately, bad sleep and sleep deprivation are linked to a number of physical health problems as well, such as obesity and diabetes. In one study, people who slept an average of fewer than five hours per night were 18% more likely to develop Type II Diabetes over the course of eight years than those who had seven hours or more. Sleep-deprived participants also tended to have lower levels of the hormone IGF-I, which is implicated in muscle and bone growth and repair.

Although we cannot always control when or how much sleep we get on a given night, it is important to give ourselves an opportunity to unwind and relax after a long day. In life, we are constantly on the go especially depending on what we do for a living or where we are currently in life. If you do not prioritize rest, it is possible that you will encounter more physical health problems as you age.

Decline in productivity and interest in daily tasks

Believe it or not, there is a direct correlation between the amount of sleep one gets and how one performs on the job or during other daily tasks. If you happen to get a low amount of sleep per night, your productivity and interest in your tasks will naturally go down. You will find that you do not have the ability to concentrate as you do when you are fully rested and ready to complete your tasks. No matter what industry you work in or what kind of tasks you are participating in, it is important to be well-rested enough to complete them properly.

A study published in the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine found that people reporting they had trouble staying awake were more likely to experience difficulty with concentration, as well as increased accidents and injuries. That same journal also has a study linking long-term sleep deprivation (more than two weeks) to high blood pressure levels.

What to do about it

Don't skimp on sleep. It's important to get the right amount of sleep every night so that your brain can function correctly and you don't feel sluggish during work hours. If it is not possible for you to go to bed earlier, try sleeping at least eight hours a day instead of just six or seven hours. If the quality of your sleep is the issue, it may be time to invest in a new mattress or entire bed setup.

That's where EZLift Bed can come in handy! Our sleep-to-stand bed has the ability to help you increase the quality of your sleep and lower the amount of bad sleep side effects that you may face. Visit our product page today and contact us with any questions that you may have.