News

Do you wake up feeling tired, feel sleepy during the day, have trouble concentrating, or sleep much longer on weekends than you do during the week?

If so, you may not be getting enough sleep.

When sleep deprivation continues over a long period of time, it can increase the risk of various health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, dementia, and obesity. That is why getting enough quality sleep is so important.

Why Is Sleep Sometimes Called “The Best Medicine”?

You may have heard the saying, “Sleep is the best medicine.” But why is something we do every day considered so beneficial to our health?

The answer can be found by looking at what happens in the body during sleep.

While we sleep, the brain and other organs recover from the fatigue accumulated throughout the day and the immune system is strengthened. Sleep also promotes the release of hormones such as melatonin and growth hormone, helps regulate emotions, and allows the brain to consolidate information we see and hear while awake into long-term memories.

When we do not get enough quality sleep, these important processes can be disrupted, potentially putting our health at risk.

Adults Should Aim for 7–8 Hours of Quality Sleep

So, how much sleep is considered healthy?

For most adults, the recommended amount of sleep is around seven to eight hours a night. However, the ideal amount can vary from person to person.

A good indication that you are getting enough sleep is whether you wake up feeling refreshed and can get through the day without excessive daytime sleepiness.

The quality of your sleep is just as important as the amount of time you spend sleeping. If you sleep for seven to eight hours but still wake up feeling tired or struggle with excessive daytime sleepiness, your sleep quality may be poor.

If you have unhealthy sleep habits, it is important to correct them. And if you have a sleep disorder, seeking appropriate treatment can help you get the deep, restorative sleep your body needs.

Health Problems Linked to Sleep Deprivation

Chronic sleep deprivation can increase the risk of health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, dementia, and obesity. It can also weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to infections such as the common cold. In addition, insufficient sleep may reduce the effectiveness of vaccinations.

Cardiovascular Disease

When you do not get enough quality sleep, the sympathetic nervous system can become overactive, causing blood vessels to constrict. This can increase the risk of high blood pressure as well as cardiovascular conditions such as heart attacks and strokes.

Untreated sleep apnea can also place significant strain on the heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Diabetes

Insufficient sleep can increase insulin resistance, making it harder for insulin to effectively lower blood sugar levels. As a result, blood glucose levels can rise, increasing the risk of developing diabetes.

Sleep deprivation can also increase the release of the stress hormone cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels can interfere with insulin's actions and raise blood sugar levels, further increasing the risk of diabetes.

Obesity

When you do not get enough sleep, your body produces more ghrelin, a hormone that increases hunger and can make you crave high-fat foods. At the same time, levels of leptin, a hormone that helps suppress appetite, decrease.

This may be one reason why late-night snacking can be so tempting.

Sleep deprivation can also increase the production of cortisol, which can stimulate appetite and promote fat accumulation, particularly around the abdomen. As a result, consistently getting too little sleep may make it easier to gain excess weight and develop obesity.

Dementia

During the day, brain activity produces waste products such as beta-amyloid. During deep sleep, the brain's waste-clearance system helps remove these substances from the brain.

Therefore, when sleep deprivation continues over the long term, beta-amyloid may not be cleared efficiently and can accumulate in the brain. This may increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.

Source: 국민건강보험공단 (https://www.nhis.or.kr/magazin/160/html/sub2.html)