Problems that may arise when not maintaining adequate sleep duration

Our ideal sleep duration is 7 to 8 hours. However, there are many people who go to bed late while looking at their mobile phones. Lack of sleep can cause various diseases. Let's learn about the problems that may arise when the recommended sleep time is not maintained.

 

 

Risk of dyslipidemia

Lack of sleep can have negative effects on blood. There is a domestic research study that proves this. The research team at Daegu Veterans Hospital analyzed the prevalence of dyslipidemia according to sleep duration among 15,014 adults aged 19 and over who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2013 to 2015. As a result, people who get adequate sleep had the lowest prevalence rate at 9.8%, while those with insufficient sleep had a rate of 13%, and those who overslept had a rate of 10.5%. After considering various factors influencing the occurrence of dyslipidemia, the research team found that the risk of developing dyslipidemia was about 1.2 times higher in people with insufficient sleep compared to those with adequate sleep. The team analyzed in the paper that sleep deprivation affects hormone functions related to metabolism and the body's immune defense system, leading to changes in blood lipid levels.

Lack of sleep can lead to chronic dehydration. A study from Pennsylvania State University in the United States found that people who sleep 6 hours a day have less body fluid than those who sleep 7 to 8 hours. The shorter the sleep duration, the more disrupted the cycle of vasopressin, a hormone that regulates body water content. Prolonged sleep deprivation can cause abnormal vasopressin secretion, making it easier to develop chronic dehydration.

If you do not get enough sleep, your body becomes more prone to gaining weight. During sleep, the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which stimulates the body, decreases. However, people who lack sleep experience this process improperly, leading to an increase in the neurotransmitter catecholamine, which raises blood sugar levels. When blood sugar rises rapidly, our body overproduces insulin to lower it. The problem is that excessive insulin secretion inhibits fat breakdown and burning, promoting fat accumulation. Especially when going to bed late, the likelihood of late-night snacking increases, as digestion ability is lower at night than during the day, and the proportion of consumed food absorbed as fat also rises.