A Lack of Sleep Causes a Whole Host of Health Problems

A Lack of Sleep Causes a Whole Host of Health Problems

Not getting the sleep that you need can cause many health problems for you. Some of these problems you might see immediately, while some will show up later. When you cheat your body out of sleep, it will eventually have to account for that missing piece of the puzzle.

Not getting the right amount of sleep affects your heart. If you get fewer than 4 hours of sleep every night, the risks of an adverse heart event increases. That might not seem like a big deal, but this increase is nearly 50%.

Without enough sleep, you can develop heart disease and you become closer to having a heart attack or a stroke than you might realize. The fatigue that occurs from a lack of sleep affects the heart where it doesn’t work as well as it should.

Another health problem that occurs with a lack of sleep is an increased risk of cancer. Studies have shown that people who don’t get at least 7 hours of sleep every night experience a significant chance of developing prostate or breast cancer.

The risk of cancer increases when sleep loss is compounded by weight gain. One cancer that’s directly related to weight gain, especially around the abdomen, is colorectal cancer.

This risk is high in both men and women. Obesity is a common side effect of a lack of sleep. When you gain too much weight, this causes fatigue because it puts a strain on your organs - especially your heart....