![]() ![]() Weakened Immune System (More Likely to Get Sick) You’re going to be less patient, and more prone to becoming frustrated and annoyed, which will affect your happiness and relationships.Įmotional changes are one of the most common psychological effects of sleep deprivation, even in the short term. Even if you’re usually an emotionally stable person, this is going to affect your mood ( 7). When you have chronic insomnia, you’re constantly stressed (see note on cortisol earlier) and often have headaches. This is another side effect I can speak to myself. In other words, sleep helps you remember things clearly. Research has shown that sufficient sleep is needed to consolidate declarative memory (6). Primary insomnia (the main type) has been shown to affect memory. This will affect your work, and every other aspect of your life to a small degree. That might prompt someone to take Tylenol that may make insomnia worse.Īdditionally, people with insomnia score lower on tests relating to their concentration and focus levels. Research shows that insomnia can cause headaches, and it's fairly common. This is a side effect that I experienced personally on a daily basis back when I had sleep issues. Headaches and Concentration ProblemsĪ study with 50 insomnia patients found that 48% of them experienced frequent headaches ( 5). Many studies have shown that people with insomnia are more likely to gain weight and become overweight ( 4). ![]() That’s on top of issues like lower levels of growth hormone and testosterone.Īnd science supports this. It’s reasonable to expect that sleep deprivation would cause weight gain. If you’re fatigued, you make poorer decisions, including eating decisions. ![]() If you’re tired, you’re going to move less. There's a good amount of evidence that insomnia causes weight gain in most people. It doesn’t take long for sleep deprivation to have negative consequences. In just 1 week, serum testosterone significantly decreased (3): Lower Sex DriveĪ study of over 1,000 men over 65 found that testosterone production corresponds to sleep duration ( 2): Testosterone increased with increasing sleep duration up to 9.9 hours, after which it decreasedĬhronic insomnia will lead to lower testosterone levels, which will lead to several consequences including a lower libido.Īnother study restricted the sleep of 10 young men to see the effects. For one, it can break down collagen, which is a protein used in your body’s skin and connective tissue.Ĭhronic elevated cortisol can also reduce growth hormone production, which is needed to maintain muscle mass and bone density. If your cortisol levels stay elevated for a long period, there are all sorts of consequences. Cortisol is a hormone that is made in a response to stress. Studies have shown that insomniacs have higher cortisol later on in the day ( 1). Chronic fatigue will also affect habits (like exercising), which can lead to further side effects. This can lead to accidents (particularly while driving) and mistakes at work. Sometimes, people with insomnia experience microsleep, which is where you fall asleep for a short time (a few seconds to minutes) without even realizing it. The most obvious side effect is that you’re going to be tired. Your specific symptoms and side effects will depend on the severity of your condition, type of insomnia, and individual factors based on your genetics. However, they do typically experience at least a few of them.įurthermore, some of these symptoms will show up in the short term, while others are long term issues that can take years of sleep deprivation to develop. Not everyone with insomnia will experience all 10 of these side effects, so don’t panic. 10 Long-Term Side Effects of Insomnia and Sleep Deprivation I’ll also go over causes and treatment options if you’re struggling with getting to sleep. I’ll summarize the 10 most common side effects of insomnia so that you can tell if sleep deprivation is causing your issues or not. The crazy thing is that insomnia itself is a side effect of another underlying issue. There are many potential negative side effects of insomnia. ![]()
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