Dangers of Sleep Deprivation
Did you know that America is one of the most sleep-deprived countries in the world. Over 70 million people in the United States have sleep problems. “Sleep reflects our state of health, but it also affects our health – in ways we never knew until the last 20 years of sleep research,” says Kathy Gromer, M.D., a sleep specialist at the Minnesota Sleep Institute.
Sleep is one of the most vital components of all life functions. When sleep is positive in terms of both quality and quantity, it provides the necessary energy and alertness to perform daily tasks. Just as important, sleep impacts the immune systems, memory functions, outward appearances and performance levels of all humans. In short, most aspects of life are largely dependent upon sleep.
Scientists have found that sleep deprivation impacts hormones that are involved in appetite regulation that can lead to weight gain and development of many serious diseases. So before you think that you could get by with just few hours of sleep while habitually going to bed at unusually late hours, you might consider investing more time for yourself by being a slumber master for at least seven hours of the night.
