Your routine says a lot about you and your health condition. The diet you consume and the sleep you get at night play a very important role in the overall growth and energy level you exhibit in your waking hours. In this article, we’ll be discussing why is sleeping late bad for health in numerous ways.
Why is Sleeping Late Bad for Health?
Almost 1 in 3 people in this world suffer from bad health due to sleeping late due to work-life or a habit developed due to human nature or personal choices. These are, by far, different from the ones facing other physical and mental problems depriving them of timely sleeping. Experts usually advise that one should not be awake before midnight, which should be bedtime without any other distraction. Read the following points to understand is sleeping late bad for health and to prevent the bad effects of sleeping late.
1. You may gain weight
If you sleep less, you may gain weight. According to studies, those who sleep fewer than 7 hours a day gain more weight and are more likely to become obese. It’s thought to be because people who don’t get enough sleep have lower amounts of leptin (the hormone that makes you feel full) and higher ghrelin levels (the hormone that makes you feel hungry). (Also read 20 Revolutionary Diet Plans to Lose Weight)
2. You may develop hypertension
Long-term sleep deprivation has been related to an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and levels of specific chemicals connected to inflammation, all of which may place additional strain on your heart. Blood pressure may rise more quickly in people who sleep for less than six hours. If you already have high blood pressure, inadequate sleep may exacerbate your condition. Sleep deprivation can induce hormonal imbalances. It is a very surprising revelation to is sleeping late bad for health doubt. (Also read 9 Diseases Caused by Obesity)
3. Your sex life may be affected
Sleep loss has been linked to decreased sexual desire and arousal in women. As a result, one of the most prevalent sleep disorders, insomnia, may be linked to sexual dysfunction.
- Erectile dysfunction has also been linked to a lack of sleep and interrupted sleep. (Also read How to Have a Good Night Sleep?)
- Short-term sleep deprivation has been linked to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
- However, this lack of sleep did not appear to increase the likelihood of actually having sex, which could reflect how sleepiness and weariness can interfere with sexual activity.
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been linked to an increased risk of erectile dysfunction.
- Erectile dysfunction has also been connected to men working non-standard hours, generally known as shift work. Shift employment can disrupt a person’s circadian cycle, interfering with various biological functions.
4. Your fertility may get hindered
Is sleeping late bad for health, really? There isn’t much-verified understanding concerning the direct effect of sleep on fertility other than its impact on general wellness. However, studies have discovered a few characteristics that point to a probable link between the amount of sleep a person gets and their fertility. (Also read Why do most Egyptians sleep late?)
- Reproductive hormones are regulated by the same brain area that regulates sleep-wake hormones like melatonin and cortisol.
- Sleep deprivation causes the body to produce more stress hormones, which are harmful to overall health and can cause estrogen, testosterone, and other reproductive hormone levels to fluctuate.
- Your circadian rhythm, or sleep-wake pattern, could also be linked to reproductive hormones that cause women to ovulate. It can also cause sperm maturation to be hampered.
- Menstrual irregularity occurs, making it difficult to anticipate ovulation and lengthening the process of attempting to conceive.
- In men, unhealthy sperm is less likely to fertilize eggs, and if it does, it might result in unviable embryos or other issues.
5. You may develop or worsen your diabetes
It is one of the worse observations, which is sleeping late bad for health effects as well.
- When you don’t get enough sleep, you tend to seek and consume sugary and carbohydrate-rich foods and beverages. Increased consumption of these items over time will lead to weight gain and elevated blood sugar, eventually leading to Type II Diabetes. (Also read Why Does Zoloft Cause Weight Gain?)
- Your pancreas will create extra insulin to digest the excess sugar in your body to balance the increase in blood sugar levels.
- The pancreas can no longer keep up with the effort of maintaining normal blood sugar levels over time.
- High blood sugar levels build up in the body when insulin isn’t working properly, and they can injure the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart.
6. Your immune system could weaken
A lack of sleep of fewer than 6–7 hours a day has been linked to a variety of health issues, including a weakened immune system. Read below to know how is sleeping late bad for health and what it can do to your immune system.
- According to studies, sleep-deprived people are more likely to become ill after being exposed to a virus.
- Additionally, it is seen that a lack of sleep can reduce the effectiveness of flu vaccines.
- Sleep deprivation reduces the quantity of infection-fighting antibodies in your system, lowering white blood cells.
- Sleep deprivation has been related to reducing the production of cytokines, which are chemical messengers that help regulate infection and inflammation.
- Melatonin is a sleep-inducing hormone released at night to battle stress. Melatonin deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of cancer.
- In addition, sleep loss can raise C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in the body. CRP is a marker of inflammation, which can lead to heart disease. (Also read 16 Best Types Of Mattress That Will Improve Your Sleep Quality)
7. Your mental health may degrade
In the short term, sleep deprivation might make you irritated and weary. But it can also have long-term health repercussions on your body and mind. Sleep disorders can increase the symptoms of a variety of mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
- Anxiety: Sleep disturbances appear to be a risk factor for anxiety disorders. In one study, sleep issues were found to be a predictor of generalized anxiety disorder in children and teenagers aged 9 to 16. Sleep deprivation, for example, is not only a prevalent symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), affecting 80 percent to 90 percent of those affected, but it is also thought to have a role in the disorder’s genesis and maintenance. (Also read The Body Language of Anxiety)
- Stress: Increased irritation and anger, as well as other mood changes, can make even minor pressures in life much more difficult to deal with, resulting in overall bad health due to sleeping late. Everyday trivial annoyances can quickly escalate into huge sources of frustration. (Also read What are the causes of stress?)
- Depression: Why is sleeping late for health query has this shocking but truthful interpretation. In one review of 21 types of research, insomniacs were found to have a two-fold increased risk of getting depression compared to individuals who did not have sleep issues. Researchers examined the impact of inadequate sleep on symptoms of melancholy, anxiety, and paranoia in a study with over 3,700 individuals. Some patients received cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), while others received no treatment for their sleeplessness. The researchers discovered that people who got CBT had lower levels of despair, anxiety, paranoia, and nightmares. They also stated that their overall well-being had improved and their capacity to operate at home and work. (Also read Why Do Exams Cause Stress?)
- ADHD: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent psychiatric problem that affects up to 5.3 percent of children aged 6 to 17. According to studies, between 25 percent and 55 percent of children with ADHD also have sleep problems. Children with ADHD may have difficulties falling or staying asleep, difficulty waking, sleep breathing problems, night waking, and daytime lethargy, among other challenges. (Also read Why do some students dropout of school?)
- Bi-Polar Disorder: Bipolar disorder is defined by mood swings that alternate between depressed and euphoric states. People with bipolar disorder frequently experience sleep difficulties. Insomnia, inconsistent sleep-wake cycle, and nightmares are examples of such issues. Mania or hypomania symptoms might be exacerbated by a lack of sleep. According to research, in 25% to 65%of individuals, alterations in the usual sleep/wake cycle preceded the commencement of a manic episode. (Also read Why do I keep waking up in the night?)
8. Your workout routine could get affected
Your exercise performance can drastically deteriorate after just one night of insufficient sleep. To know about is sleeping late bad for health and exercise routine, read the points below.
- According to a paper published in Sports Medicine, a bad night’s sleep might make exercise feel more difficult, leading to exhaustion.
- Poor sleep can destroy your motivation to work out at all, in addition to making your workouts feel harder.
- The reason for this is that your muscles can’t properly replenish their energy stores if you don’t get enough sleep (in the form of muscle glycogen).
- Glycogen is one of your body’s main energy sources during exercise, and when it runs out, you hit the dreaded wall.
- According to one review, muscular glycogen deficiency lowers muscle function and total work capacity. (Also read How can Creatine help my Workout?)
9. Your brain function may get affected badly
Along with how is sleeping late bad for health, what effects does it have on the brain is also the question that buzzes all around.
- Sleep deprivation has also been linked to consequences similar to intoxication, such as slowed thinking and reaction time.
- Working memory is obstructed by a lack of sleep, which is required to remember items for immediate use.
- Memory consolidation is hampered by poor sleep because it disrupts the natural process of building and keeping memories, which uses both NREM and REM sleep.
- Even if a person obtains enough total hours of sleep, fragmented sleep has been demonstrated to harm memory.
- Poor sleep detracts from other cognitive tasks, in addition to the repercussions for memory. It impairs peacekeeping, as well as the capacity to follow directions.
- Sleep deprivation wreaks havoc on motor abilities, rhythm, and even certain forms of speech.
- Certain studies have shown sleep deprivation to reduce cognitive flexibility, limiting one’s ability to adapt and thrive in uncertain or changing situations.
- Another way that lack of sleep affects thinking is that it changes how emotional information is interpreted. (Also read How to Remember Dreams in the Morning?)
10. Your creativity & decision-making could scale down
Another element of cognition that is damaged by sleeping issues is creativity. People who don’t get enough sleep are more prone to make riskier decisions and focus on the potential benefit rather than the drawbacks. It can have a negative feedback loop. A lack of sleep impairs our ability to learn from our mistakes because our regular processing and consolidating emotional memory is disrupted.
These are the few things that happen to you when you stay awake for longer hours at night. We hope this article answered your question, is sleeping late bad for health, fairly enough. Do share your late-night stories and sleep experiences with us. (Also read 90 Mind Blowing Human Body Facts)
