The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that fatigue is a cause in 100,000 auto crashes and 1,550 crash-related deaths a year in the United States. The problem is greatest among people under 25 years old. Drowsiness can slow reaction time as much as driving drunk.
Lack of sleep hinders thinking and learning in many ways. It impairs attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning, and problem solving. It also makes it more difficult to learn efficiently. Research shows that if you don’t get enough sleep, you won’t be able to remember what you learned and experienced during the day.
Sleep disorders and chronic sleep loss can also put you at risk for heart disease; heart attack; heart failure; irregular heartbeat; high blood pressure; stroke; and, diabetes. British researchers have found that the lack of sleep can double the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Lack of sleep and sleep disorders, if not addressed, can contribute to the symptoms of depression. In a 2005 Sleep in America poll, people who were diagnosed with depression or anxiety were more likely to sleep less than six hours at night.
Chronic sleep loss can lead to lackluster skin, fine lines, and dark circles under the eyes. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases more of the stress hormone cortisol. In excess amounts, cortisol can break down skin collagen, the protein that keeps skin smooth and elastic.
According to research studies, people who sleep less than six hours a day are almost 30 percent more likely to become obese than those who sleep seven to nine hours. Sleep loss appears to stimulate appetite and it also stimulates cravings for high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods.
Lack of sleep can affect our interpretation of events. This hurts our ability to make sound judgments because we may not assess situations accurately and act on them wisely. Sleep-deprived people seem to be especially prone to poor judgment when it comes to assessing what lack of sleep is doing to them.
From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),
Paul J. Staso
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Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek
Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:
- United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
- Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
- Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
- Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
- The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
- Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
- Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
- Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
- Some Cycling Moments From The Past
