Typically, when we think of sleep-deprivation, side effects that openly manifest themselves come to mind such as: a lack of energy, poor motor skills, and poor work performance, to name a few. While those noticeable consequences from a sleepless night are generally applicable, losing out on sleep affects our body on a biological level, too.
Some people may find that sleeping just six hours a night fulfills their need for rest. But, the vast majority of adults need more. Researchers found that those who sleep about 8.5 hours a night have a healthier circadian rhythm versus those that do not. They had over 1,800 genes that went through 24-hour cycles of activity and dormancy. However, almost 400 of the same genes halted their cycles absolutely when an individual lacked sufficient sleep.
In addition, genes that control the immune system, and one’s metabolism were affected. These findings are particularly interesting, because they could provide insight as to why some individuals tend to get sicker more frequently than others. Insofar as metabolism being affected, this is another indication that those battling obesity or living with diabetes should take a keen interest in the quality of sleep that they are getting.
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