wake up
Sleep and health are our theme this week. Here are five ways that skimping on quality sleep can take a toll on you.
- Accidents. Not getting enough sleep has been tied to the 1979 nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, the massive Exon Valdez spill, and the 1986 meltdown at Chernobyl. Closer to home, drowsiness can slow your reaction time as much as driving drunk. Research suggests that sleep deprivation or poor quality sleep leads to auto crashes, more work accidents, and an increased number of sick days.
- Dumbs You Down. Too little sleep can dull attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning, and problem solving. Sleep also helps us to consolidate memories.
- Health Problems. Heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes have all been linked to sleep deprivation.
- Sex Drive. Men and women who are short on sleep report less interest in sex. This may stem from lower energy, sleepiness, and greater tension. In addition, men with sleep apnea may have abnormally low levels of testosterone.
- Depression. Insomnia is strongly associated with depression. In a 2007 study of 10,000 individuals, those with insomnia were five times as likely to develop depression.
I’m Dr. Michael Hunter.
