Health Risks Associated with Sleep Deprivation

Sleep is the foundation of your health. If you are not getting enough sleep (at least seven hours each night) or the quality of your sleep is poor, your physical, mental and emotional health will suffer.

Physical Health Risks

Sleep is when the body repairs itself. When you are deprived of adequate quality sleep, your body cannot restore or maintain its natural balance (homeostasis), which leads to a number of overall health issues, including:

Cardiovascular problems—heart arrhythmias, stroke, heart attack
Diabetes and other endocrine disruptions
Weight gain and obesity-related illnesses

Sleep deprivation can also impede healing from illness and injury as well as rob people of natural pain relief.

Mental and Emotional Health Risks

People operating on too little sleep are as impaired as those who have been drinking alcohol. As a result, sleep deprivation puts people at higher risk for accidents and accident-related injuries. Plus, when decision-making is impaired, people are less effective and/or productive at work and home. Over time, quality of life diminishes as those who do not get adequate sleep experience:

Mental fog
Problems with recall and memory
Daytime fatigue
Depression
Anxiety

Diminished mental and emotional well-being can also interfere with relationships, exacerbating the negative effects of sleep deprivation.

Decrease Your Risk with Proper Treatment

There is no reason to live with increased health risks or suffer a lower quality of life. You can get effective treatment for all types of sleep problems and sleep disorders at Neurology & Sleep Medicine in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Unlike many sleep centers, our board-certified sleep specialist, Dr. Senthil Ramasamy, is highly involved in patient care. He sees every patient during an initial consultation, evaluates their sleep study results and meets with them during a follow-up visit to discuss the diagnosis and treatment options.

Contact Neurology & Sleep Medicine to schedule an initial consultation and take the first step toward improved sleep and improved health.