Lack of sleep - the consequences of too little sleep

Many people regularly sleep too little, even though adequate sleep is important for our daily performance and a healthy lifestyle. But what really happens when we consistently sleep too little? Learn here how sleep deprivation can affect our bodies and what persistent sleep deprivation means for our health.

Table of contents

1. Far too little sleep
2. What does lack of sleep mean?
3. Consequences of too little sleep
1. Effects on the psyche
2. Effects on the body
3. Noise & sounds
4. Consequences of sleep deprivation at a glance
5. Preventing sleep deprivation
6. Conclusion

1. Far too little sleep

More and more people are getting too little sleep and neglecting their nighttime sleep in favor of professional or social commitments. Experts generally recommend that adults regularly sleep approximately 7–8 hours. The results of a sleep study conducted by the Techniker Krankenkasse health insurance company show that this amount of sleep is rarely achieved these days. One in two Germans already regularly sleeps less than six hours a day. This is despite the fact that sufficient, restful sleep is extremely important, especially in our increasingly stressful everyday lives.

2. What does lack of sleep mean?

Sleep is the central recovery period for our body and should therefore never be too short. Numerous repair and recovery processes take place during sleep. The immune system is running at full speed, we process experiences and information, and also gather new energy for the next day. Night after night, we go through several sleep cycles, which are in turn divided into different sleep phases. You can find out exactly what happens during sleep. here Read more. Too short nights or frequent interruptions can disrupt our natural sleep patterns and the regeneration processes that occur during them. A regular sleep schedule is crucial for us to wake up refreshed in the morning and be able to tackle our daily lives healthily and productively. The good news: Short-term sleep deprivation can be compensated for and lost sleep can be made up for. However, those who consistently reduce their sleep and fail to meet their individual sleep needs not only jeopardize their daily well-being in the long run, but also harm their own health.

3. Consequences of too little sleep

Lack of sleep prevents the body and mind from adequately regenerating, resulting in numerous negative consequences, especially in the long term.

Effects on the psyche

Reduced brain and memory performance
During sleep, our brain processes the day's experiences and transfers relevant information to long-term memory. Even acute sleep deprivation leads to a reduction in these so-called neurocognitive functions, causing the brain to respond less effectively to external stimuli, impairing memory, and weakening the ability to pay attention while awake.

Decreasing stress resistance & mood swings
Lack of sleep promotes the release of the "stress hormone" cortisol, which puts additional strain on our brain and reduces our overall resistance to stress. We feel increasingly stressed, become more irritable, suffer from mood swings, and find it difficult to relax.

Effects on the body

Disturbed metabolism and hormone balance
If you don't get enough sleep, the metabolic processes that are crucial for nighttime regeneration become disrupted.The renewal and development of new cells in muscles, skin, and other tissues is disrupted by negatively influencing the release of important growth hormones. Furthermore, energy stores in muscles and brain cannot be fully replenished. Persistent sleep deprivation also negatively affects blood sugar levels, thus increasing the risk of obesity or diabetes.

Weakening of the immune system
During sleep, the number of natural defense cells in the body increases, harmful substances are removed, and the body's cells are repaired and renewed. Studies show that even a single sleep deficit of three hours impairs the function of defense cells. People who don't get enough sleep therefore weaken the development of a strong immune system and are more susceptible to infections and illnesses.

Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
Even a slight, regular sleep deficit of one to two hours per night puts the body into a state of stress. Cortisol levels rise, putting our body on alert, increasing heart rate and blood pressure. This places additional strain on the cardiovascular system and increases the long-term risk of heart attack and stroke.

Consequences of sleep deprivation at a glance

• Reduction in cognitive performance and concentration

• Reduced memory performance

• Mood swings & irritability

• Reduced physical performance

• Weakened immune system

• Increased risk of disease, e.g. diabetes, cardiovascular disease

4. Prevent sleep deprivation

Because we can easily compensate for a small sleep deficit and catch up on it, the occasional short night is usually not a problem. However, a consistent lack of sleep repeatedly results in the body being unable to regenerate sufficiently. This gradually leads to a loss of performance, impacting our well-being and harming our health.

A variety of reasons can lead to us neglecting our sleep and failing to meet our individual sleep needs. To master your everyday life smoothly and maintain your health and performance, you should try not to permanently forgo sleep for professional or social reasons. You can learn how to improve your sleep in the long term in this article.

Danger: If sleep disorders or health problems are the reason for a long-term sleep deficit, you should definitely seek advice from a doctor.

5. Conclusion

• Every second German regularly sleeps too little – The trend is rising.

• Lack of sleep impairs physical and mental performance and harms health and well-being.

• Too little sleep weakens the immune system and increases susceptibility to illness, infections, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Best wishes and see you soon!