Chronic lack of sleep - who is at risk?

Modern society exists in conditions of 24-hour wakefulness, and more and more people are switching to short sleep or even giving it up altogether. But recently scientists have found that this lifestyle causes serious harm to health. Chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of various diseases, including cancer, coronary artery disease, diabetes and obesity. Lack of sleep can also lead to mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, and reduce overall quality of life.

The amount of sleep each person needs may vary. However, most people need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each day. The risk of disease increases sharply if a person sleeps less than 6-7 hours. Canadian researchers have found that women suffer the most from lack of sleep. In a study of 210 middle-aged men and women who had not previously complained of serious health problems, doctors noted that 40% of the participants had difficulty going to bed, requiring at least 30 minutes to get to bed. fall asleep. They also woke up more often during the night. As a result, women with disrupted sleep patterns were at risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, while men were not similarly affected by lack of sleep.

In addition to lack of sleep, waking up early is also harmful to your health. A group of scientists who examined 3,017 people aged 23 to 90 concluded that "getting up very early to go to work or exercise does not appear to benefit one's health. On the contrary, it increases one's risk." occurrence of heart and vascular diseases." Women who sleep less than 5 hours a night are twice as likely to develop hypertension as men.

Not only does lack of sleep negatively impact your health, it can also lead to anxiety and depression, which over time can lead to suicide. The strongest suicidal thoughts occur in boys and girls who go to bed after 02:00 and get up around 07:00 or earlier. These are mainly schoolchildren and students who are forced to wake up early enough so as not to be late for classes. However, it is not only young people who are at risk of developing mental health problems due to lack of sleep. Older people, especially those who suffer from aging-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, may experience insomnia and other sleep disorders, which can impair their quality of life.

Thus, lack of sleep is a serious problem that leads to various diseases and poor quality of life. It is important to monitor your sleep schedule and try to sleep 7 to 9 hours a night. If a person has trouble sleeping, they should see a doctor to find out the cause and get the appropriate treatment.