Sleep isn’t optional. Insomnia is a serious matter because sleep is absolutely vital for us and most other creatures. I am not trying to scare you, just trying to encourage you to do whatever it takes to cure your of your sleeplessness.
Lack of sleep has been the cause of numerous accidents and combined with alcohol it can be lethal. People who have a large sleep debt are a great danger both to themselves and others. When we are overtired we take mini sleeps without even realizing it. Notice how often driver fatigue is mentioned in various accidents reported in the press. The one we probably remember best is the Exon Valdize, but airplane and road traffic accidents are frequently put down to driver fatigue. While most would not drive when drunk the idea of driving when tired does not set off the same alarm bells, but it should.
Research has shown that there are many problems associated with chronic sleep deprivation. That is sleep deprivation that has built up over several weeks or months. Here are some of them:
- Lack of sleep can shorten your life. Death from all causes is lowest among adults who get seven to eight hours of sleep nightly, and significantly higher among those who sleep less than seven.
- The immune system is impaired. Sleep researcher Eve van Cauter at the University of Chicago gave flu vaccine to subjects who had slept only four hours per night for the previous six nights. Their immune systems produced only half the normal number of antibodies in response. This study also showed:
- Heart rates and blood pressure were raised.
- Insulin resistance, a pre-diabetic condition that affects glucose tolerance and produces weight gain developed.
- Leptin levels were reduced. Leptin is secreted by fat cells and inhibits appetite, so weight gain would eventually result from lost sleep. Other studies have shown similar results.
- Intellectual performance is reduced. Critical thinking plummets, so don’t stay up all night cramming for an exam.
- Reaction time is slowed which could be fatal in some situations especially if you are a doctor, airline pilot or even just drive a car.
So the bottom line is that no matter how hard it is to follow a sensible sleep hygiene plan you must do it. Insomnia must be taken seriously and a cure pursued.
