we all skimp on our sleep once in a awhile. but repeated sleep deprivation has
serious health risks
.
miss an hour
lose one hour of sleep on one single night is fine. “for someone who is well rested, missing an hour of sleep would have relatively minimal consequences,” alex dimitriu, md, the founder of menlo park psychiatry & sleep medicine
told men’s health
. you may feel groggy, and have some daytime sleepiness and yawning.
miss two hours
you miss two hours of sleep and you are likely feeling more sleepy throughout the day. your hand and eye coordination will be off, and your reflexes may not be as sharp. you could also get headaches.
“sleep deprivation can elevate your blood pressure because you don’t allow your heart and blood vessels to spend enough time in the ‘rest mode’ at night,” alex savy, a sleep science coach certified by the spencer institute told
men’s health
.
miss three hours
take everything that happens when you miss two hours of sleep, and ramp it up a bit. according to seixas, you’ll feel run down and unable to properly function. it can also put you at a higher risk for a heart attack, as sleep deprivation can make you gain weight — adding stress to your body’s other systems.
dimitriu says that when people lose significant amounts of sleep, “people often crave carbohydrates more. sleep-deprived lab mice always tend to gain weight.” plus, it’ll make you much more grumpy. it’ll reduce your impulse control, and will deplete your creativity. without a proper sleep, it can make it difficult to concentrate or complete even the simplest tasks.
miss four or more