Sleep is a fundamental part of good health, just like healthy eating and exercising. A good night’s sleep can improve mood, brain performance, and overall health. Sleep can also help you take in a few calories, regulating your weight.

There is more than a good night’s sleep can do to your well-being. Unfortunately, the pace of the modern world hardly gives you time to rest. The pressure to make ends meet in the United States and other countries does not embrace the need for adequate sleep.

Either way, it’s essential to make an effort to get enough sleep regularly. Experts link lack of adequate sleep to many health complications. In this article, we shall explore further the problem of catching up on sleep and how to improve your sleep pattern.

Increases the Risk of Diabetes

If you have diabetes, getting less than seven hours of sleep per night can make it hard for you to manage diabetes. Inadequate sleep can increase your insulin resistance, make you highly likely to reach for food rich in carbs and sugar, raise your blood pressure, and make it hard to lose weight.

Lack of sleep also compromises how full you’ll feel after eating, meaning you’ll feel hungrier more often and eat more. It raises your blood pressure and increases the risk of a heart attack. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, proper sleep helps you manage diabetes better, puts you in a good mood, and gives you the energy to keep going.

Getting good rest is fundamental for people of all ages. Whether you have diabetes or not, you need a good night’s sleep to stay healthy. Therefore, getting at least seven hours of sleep a day is essential to feel more rested the following day.

Increases Hypertension

As discussed earlier, sleep experts recommend seven to eight hours of sleep per day. Getting less than six hours of sleep can affect your overall health, including increased risks of hypertension. If you already suffer from hypertension, lack of sleep can only worsen things.

Sleep helps your body control hormones responsible for controlling metabolism and stress. Over time, lack of enough sleep can trigger mood swings and hormones, and such hormone changes can lead to hypertension and other health conditions.

To mitigate the lack of adequate sleep, we recommend getting a medium-firm mattress that promotes proper spinal alignment, comfort, and quality sleep. To narrow down your options and ensure you get a good quality mattress, go online to compare full vs. queen-size choices from one of the most reputable providers on the market.

Weight Gain

If you want to lose weight, you must get adequate sleep to ensure your efforts are successful. Inadequate sleep is often linked to poor food choices, increased calorie intake, and hunger, ultimately increasing weight gain.

If you have been trying to lose weight in vain, probably it’s time to examine your sleep pattern. While individual needs may vary, getting the much-needed rest can make the real difference in achieving your weight loss goals.

Reduces Immune Function

As experts continue digging deeper into the relationship between physical health and sleep, it is clear that sleep and your immune system are also closely connected, as your immunity is critical to your overall health.

Your immune system is essential in warding off infections, healing wounds, and protecting you from life-threatening and chronic diseases. Adequate sleep strengthens your immune function, but lack of sleep can throw your immunity system off.

Lack of enough sleep can cause sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, and circadian rhythm destruction, which can interfere with the functioning of your system. Make it a priority to get enough uninterrupted sleep to strengthen your system.

Memory Loss

According to experts, sleep and memory have a complex relationship. Enough rest can help you process new information and also allow you to store the information in your brain. Inadequate sleep can lower your ability to learn by 40 percent, cause trouble focusing, poor emotional and behavior control, and reduced decision-making skills.

It is essential to get a proper balance of sleep in a day, as excessive sleep is linked to cognitive impairments, weight gain, and high blood sugar. So, don’t make up for lack of sleep with excessive sleep, but talk to a professional for tips on how to get enough sleep.

Can You Catch Up on Lost Sleep?

You have lost two or three hours of sleep in a week. You carry a considerable burden of sleeplessness, also called sleep debt. The best news is that you can pay a sleep debt just like any debt. The purpose is to have a few hours of sleep a night to catch up. If you suffer from chronic sleep deprivation, take it easy, as it might take months to get back to your regular sleep pattern.