Diseases Caused by Lack of Sleep & How to Prevent Them

Every adult needs an average of seven hours of sleep per night for overall well-being. Failing to abide by this can lead to several diseases due to lack of sleep.

Some of the most common diseases associated with lack of sleep are hypertension, diabetes, heart failure and heart attack. Other potential risks of sleep deprivation include obesity, depression and lower sex drive. Additionally, not getting enough sleep affects your overall appearance.

The diseases caused by lack of sleep and their symptoms are –

1. Diabetes

Insufficient sleep can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Symptoms – The symptoms of type 2 diabetes include increased thirst, frequent urination, increased hunger, sudden weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, slow-healing sores and frequent infections.

2. Cardiovascular Diseases

Research has found that people with a sleep disorder are prone to various cardiovascular diseases.

Symptoms – Chest pain, chest pressure, chest tightness, angina, breath shortness and coldness in the legs and arms are symptoms of cardiovascular diseases.

3. Obesity

Individuals who do not get an adequate amount of sleep tend to gain body weight.

Symptoms – Some symptoms of obesity are shortness of breath, excess body fat, unusual sweating, insomnia and inability to perform simple physical activities.

4. Depression

Individuals with sleeping disorders have high chances of suffering from depression.

Symptoms – The symptoms of depression are feelings of sadness, angry outbursts, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, worthlessness, and suicidal thoughts.

Now that you have learnt about the diseases caused by lack of sleep and their side effects, let’s move on to find their harmful effects on human beings.

The diseases caused by lack of sleep have various harmful effects like –

• Type 2 diabetes – Blood vessel and heart diseases, neuropathy in limbs, kidney diseases, eye damage, skin conditions, slow healing and heart impairment.
• Cardiovascular disease – Chest pain, chest discomfort, chest tightness, shortness of breath, numbness in arms or legs and pain in the neck. 
• Obesity – Type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, stroke, sleep apnea, hypertension, liver diseases, gallbladder disease and certain types of cancer.
• Depression – Mental disorders and also affects overall well-being. 

Now that you know all about the harmful effects of diseases caused by lack of sleep, let’s proceed to learn how to diagnose them.

Before diagnosing the diseases caused due to lack of sleep, diagnosing sleep deprivation is essential. One of the tell-tale signs of lack of sleep is constantly feeling drowsy during the day. Furthermore, if anyone falls asleep within five minutes of lying down, they have sleep deprivation.

Let us take a look at how to diagnose the different diseases caused due to lack of sleep –

• Diabetes – Any individual having a blood sugar level from 100-125 mg/dL has prediabetes. On the other hand, if anyone has a blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL or higher, they have diabetes. Though, keep in mind these levels should be measured after fasting overnight. 
• Cardiovascular disease – Medical professionals can diagnose these diseases by blood tests, electrocardiograms, stress tests, echocardiography, chest X-ray, etc. 
• Obesity – The Body Mass Index is used to diagnose obesity. 
• Depression – The Zung Scale is used to measure the level of depression in any individual. 

The diseases caused by lack of sleep can be treated in the following ways –

• Diabetes – Medication, insulin therapy, healthy diet, regular exercise and controlling blood sugar levels.
• Cardiovascular disease – Medication to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, coronary artery bypass grafting, replacement surgery, cardiac rehabilitation, regular exercise and lifestyle counselling.
• Obesity – Following a healthy diet, daily physical activity, weight-management programs, medication for weight loss and bariatric surgery.
• Depression – Psychotherapy and medications.

Avoiding sleep deprivation can prevent diseases caused due to lack of sleep. The following ways help to avoid the same –

• Maintaining regular sleep hours.
• Sleeping in a restful environment. 
• Ensuring that the bed is comfortable. 
• Exercising regularly. 
• Reduce caffeine intake.
• Quit smoking. 

To sum it up, avoiding sleep deprivation can prevent all the diseases caused by lack of sleep. Other than the diseases, not getting adequate sleep affects your overall appearance and makes you feel fatigued.