A study (published in the journal Nature Communications) that followed 8,000 people over 25 years, found a higher dementia risk with a 'sleep duration of six hours or less at age 50 and 60' as compared to those who slept seven hours a night.
According to experts, you can face the following issues too, if you are sleeping less than six hours.
● Cardiovascular Problems
Sleep deprivation can lead to several cardiovascular problems like irregular heartbeats, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and heart failure. In addition to preventing cardiovascular damage, getting good sleep can also contribute to maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle in people with heart conditions.
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● Premature Death
The risk of premature death has been found to be higher when you do not get enough sleep. In a recent review of various surveys, researchers found that individuals who slept less than six hours a night had a tenfold greater risk of premature mortality than those who slept seven to nine hours each night.
● Weight Gain
A regular eight-hour sleep schedule keeps your appetite and hunger schedule in perfect balance. Sleep deprivation increases the production of the hormone ghrelin, known to stimulate hunger. In addition, it decreases your body's production of leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite. When you don't get enough sleep, you may feel too tired to exercise. Reduced physical activity may cause you to gain weight over time because you are not burning enough calories and not building strong muscles.
● Skin Problems
A lack of sleep decreases the skin barrier's ability to hydrate itself and produce collagen, which can lead to dull, dry skin and wrinkles. Itchy skin, acne, and wrinkles can also be caused by abnormal stress levels caused by sleep deprivation.
Research suggests that sleep plays an important role in learning, memory, mood, and judgment. It is essential to get enough sleep to maintain good physical and mental health. Your daily work and athletic performance are influenced by how well you sleep. Both sleep time and sleep quality matter.