The Surprising Side Effects of Lack of Sleep

Whilst you might want to stay up to watch the latest episode of Game Of Thrones, or finish that work project you’re sweating about, burning the candle at both ends will soon catch up. And it can have an impact on how quickly you recover from your workout, and how well you perform the next day. 

Lack of sleep can affect your body in a number of different ways. Not getting enough shuteye can do more damage than you think!

1.You Feel Hungry All the Time

What does the brain do if it’s not getting enough sleep? It will try and get the energy it needs from food instead. Previous studies have linked lack of sleep to an increased production of ghrelin, a hormone which spurs hunger, making you crave fatty foods. Even if you’re full, your brain will still want food! 

2.You’re Gaining Weight

As a result of you constantly feeling like you need to eat, you’ll naturally pile on the pounds. Especially because you don’t crave a piece of fruit or a healthy meal when you’re feeling fatigued, instead you want comfort food and sugary snacks that will get you through the tiredness.

In addition to this, your metabolism can slow down without sufficient sleep. It does this to conserve the little energy that you have, rather than burn it. This can be incredibly frustrating if you're training to lose weight as well as get fitter- getting enough sleep can really affect your success!

3.Your Memory is Flagging

If you’re struggling to remember everyday things such as where you put your car keys, or that you need to take the rubbish out, then it’s unlikely you have a serious memory problem. Put it down to tiredness and be sure to get those extra hours sleep a night so that you don’t forget something more significant.

4.You’re More Clumsy Than Usual

Everyone can be clumsy from time to time, but if you’re making ham-fisted mistakes throughout the day then it could be because you’re too tired to focus properly on what you’re doing. Fatigue causes you to react more slowly to situations and struggle to concentrate due to not being able to process things well. All this makes you uncoordinated, which can lead to injury in your workout sessions. 

5.Your Skin is Suffering

It’s no coincidence that they call it beauty sleep. Sleep is, essentially, food for your skin, therefore if you deprive yourself of a good night’s kip, your skin will be deprived of its nourishment. Not only will you develop dark circles under your eyes but also your complexion will look less youthful generally and will have less of a glow.

So how much Sleep do you actually need?

It’s obvious that if you don’t have enough sleep, it can affect the quality of your life as well as the quality of your workout. You could even end up having a physical and mental breakdown.

So, how much sleep do you personally need? The amount of shuteye your body needs depends on your age. According to the National Sleep Foundation, these are the recommended number of hours you should have a night:

• Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours
• Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours
• Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours
• Pre-schoolers (3-5): 10-13 hours
• School age children (6-13):  9-11 hours
• Teenagers (14-17): 8-10 hours
• Younger adults (18-25): 7-9 hours
• Adults (26-64): 7-9 hours
• Older adults (65+): Sleep range is 7-8 hours

Are you getting enough sleep a night? Mine ranges from 6-7 hours during the week and 7-8 hours on weekends, unless I allow myself a really long lie-in!

If not then perhaps your mattress isn’t as comfortable as it should be. If you need a new bed or mattress then browse and shop the extensive range available at Happy Beds, where you’ll find a selection of beds and mattresses to suit your every need.

Beki x

NB: This is a sponsored post by Happy Beds.