6 Long-Term Effects Of Lack Of Sleep (& How To Avoid Them)

Lack of sleep can cause you to feel unfocused and drowsy. That might not seem like such a big deal in the moment — there’s always coffee, right? And good ol’ naps.

But over time, the physical and psychological effects of sleep deprivation can take a toll on your health.

In this article, we’re exploring:

• How much sleep you need for optimal health
• What happens to your body and mind when sleep deprivation adds up
• Natural ways to improve your sleep

Consider this your guide to being an informed and successful sleeper. It’s a real eye opener!

If you do happen to be reading this during a bout of insomnia, we recommend you skim down to the bottom for tips for getting better sleep.

How Much Sleep Do I Need, Anyway?

Before we get started, it helps to know what exactly a full night of sleep looks like.

The amount of sleep we need changes as we age. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):

• Newborns should get 14-17 hours of sleep.
• Children aged 6-12 should get 9-12 hours of sleep.
• Teens should get 8-10 hours.
• By the time we’re adults, 7-9 hours per night is plenty.

These hours spent snoozing should be filled with quality sleep — not doom-scrolling on your phone or staring at the ceiling worrying about 527 things you can’t change right now.

Health Challenges Linked To Sleep Deprivation

Nearly every system in the body uses sleep as a time to do things that can’t be done when you’re awake. When the body and mind don’t get a chance to fully restore, it can add up to what’s known as sleep debt.

Sleep debt can accumulate and lead to these health conditions.

1. Weakened Immunity & Autoimmune Conditions

Sleep is crucial for immune health. Immune cells do their best work when we’re getting enough shuteye, helping the body fight off infection.(1)

• Inflammation caused by sleep loss may be a factor in autoimmune disorders — like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.(2)
• Even vaccines are affected by sleep. The more sleep you get, the more likely it is the vaccine will be effective.(1)

2. Cardiovascular Disease

When your body is in sleep mode, your blood pressure drops by 10-20%. This gives your heart and the rest of your cardiovascular system a chance to de-stress.

The risk of coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and heart attack are reduced with proper sleep.(3)

3. Weight Gain

Ever feel like you can’t eat enough when you’re sleepy? That’s because your body increases certain hormones  that regulate feelings of hunger/satiety and an endocannabinoid that makes food taste really good.(4)

Yes, that is endocannabinoid as in cannabinoids, like CBD and other cannabinoids in cannabis. (When the body makes cannabinoids, they’re of the endo variety.) Sleepiness-induced munchies from endocannabinoids aren’t so different from stoner munchies.

Simply put, being sleep-deprived can cause you to eat more. Over time, the extra calories can cause weight gain and obesity.

4. Diabetes

The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with a lack of sleep for two main reasons:

• Overeating and eating unhealthy foods (see above).
• Poor sleep can throw blood sugar out of whack because glucose metabolism functions differently in the various stages of sleep.(5)

If you’re eating too much or eating the wrong foods and not sleeping well, it can lock your blood glucose in for a rollercoaster ride that could eventually become type 2 diabetes.

5. Increased Pain

Pain can keep you up at night, which, unfortunately, makes the pain worse.

Researchers found that sleep deprivation affects how the brain interprets pain. With no sleep, it essentially opens the pain pathways and doesn’t regulate them.(6) That adds up to feeling pain more intensely.

6. Dementia & Memory Loss

Dementia tends to present late in life, making it hard to determine all of the risk factors. Some evidence does suggest a correlation between sleep and dementia.

One study found that people between the ages of 50-69 who slept for six hours or less per night had a greater chance of developing dementia later in life.(7)

It’s also well-known that lack of sleep has effects on the brain that can impair long and short-term memory.(8)

How To Sleep Better At Night Naturally

Restless nights can be more than frustrating — they can affect your health. The great news is there’s a lot you can do to improve your sleep starting right now.

If you’re struggling with fits of insomnia, try these home remedies for better sleep.

• Practice good sleep hygiene by eliminating screens and blocking out light. Keep your sleep space clean and tidy, too.
• Avoid TV, your phone, and other screens for an hour before bed.
• Go to bed at the same time each night.
• Keep any pre-slumber snacks on the lighter side.
• Try incorporating CBD drops with melatonin in the evening. Melatonin helps you fall asleep, while the CBD may support your body during sleep.
• If pain is keeping you awake, rubbing CBD cream on sore areas before bed could help. CBD’s pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties can help reduce pain.(9)

Learn more about CBD and sleep in the article calledSleep Like A Baby: CBD For Sleep after this.

If you’ve checked all of these boxes and you’re still struggling to stay checked out through the night, it could be time to talk to your doctor. He or she might recommend a sleep study to get the bottom of your slumber troubles.

Sleep Well, Live Well

Everyone has one of those tossy-turny nights every now and then. It’s when the occasional restless or wakeful night becomes more common than not that the risk of disease increases.

A lack of consistent, quality sleep diminishes memory, intensifies the brain’s perception of pain, and increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity.

Preventing health concerns through better sleep is well within reach. Follow best practices for sleep health and consider CBD products for sleep support.

CATCH SOME ZZZS WITH CBD

References

1. Besedovsky, L, et al. (2012). Sleep and immune function. Pflugers Archiv: European journal of physiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-011-1044-0
2. Zielinski, MR, et al. (2019). Fatigue, Sleep, and Autoimmune and Related Disorders. Frontiers: Immunology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2019.01827
3. Suni, E. (2020). How Sleep Deprivation Affects Your Heart. Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation/how-sleep-deprivation-affects-your-heart
4. Aubrey, A. (2016). Sleep Munchies: Why It's Harder To Resist Snacks When We're Tired. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/03/02/468933610/sleep-munchies-why-its-harder-to-resist-snacks-when-were-tired
5. (2017). Lack of Sleep and Its Effect on Blood Sugar Levels. Sound Sleep Health. https://www.soundsleephealth.com/lack-of-sleep-and-its-effect-on-blood-sugar-levels/
6. Mammoser, G. (2019). Get Less Sleep, Feel More Pain. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/prioritizing-quality-sleep-could-help-with-pain-management
7. (2021). Lack of sleep in middle age may increase dementia risk. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/lack-sleep-middle-age-may-increase-dementia-risk
8. Marks, H. (2021). Sleep Deprivation and Memory Loss. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-deprivation-effects-on-memory
9. Cherney, K. (2020). Using CBD Oil for Pain Management: Does It Work? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-oil-for-pain