Sleep deprivation can have serious health impacts; know how

Busy lifestyle and unavoidable work sometimes make it difficult for us to spare time for a sound sleep. It is usually told that our body requires atleast 8 hours sleep a night. But then sometimes we neglect our sleep. You might have noticed fatigue the next day, whenever you do not get to sleep properly. But if the problem of sleep deprivation is prolonged, the results can be serious. The ways in which a disturbed sleep pattern affects your health are:

Cardiovascular health: People having sleep problems are more likely to develop heart disease. They are also at a higher risk of high blood pressure. This is because sleep is responsible in maintaining body's ability to repair blood vessels and heart.

Diabetes: People sleeping less than five hours a night are at high risk of developing diabetes.

Respiratory health: Lack of sleep can affect your immune system badly, which makes you vulnerable to respiratory problems including common cold and influenza. People already suffering from chronic lung disease can get adversely affected by lack of sleep.

Mental health: A chronic sleep disorder can lead to mood disorders like depression and anxiety.Studies have also confirmed people suffering with psychiatric disorders have some sort of sleep problem.

Weight gain: A new study says that sleep deprivation may make you consume extra calories that can increase the risk of unwanted weight gain. As per a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who don't get enough sleep consumed an extra 385 calories the following day.