Sleeping is a basic human need like eating and drinking.

Like these necessities, a lack

of sleep adversely impacts multiple aspects of our health and well-being throughout a
lifetime.

Firstly, sleep plays an important role in keeping us from mental deficiencies. For
instance, having a bad sleep schedule for an extended period of time could cause
slowed reaction time and degraded memory. Such a disorder can be life-threatening
and raises the risk of traffic accidents, which are often caused by drowsy driving.
Furthermore, sleep-deprived people who find difficulties experiencing mood changes
find themselves struggling in work settings. Those who experience lack of energy and
poor-decision making have their personal relationships affected negatively.

Chronic sleep deprivation can cause not only mental disorders but also serious physical
problems. Cardiovascular diseases are well associated with a lack of sleep. Studies
have found a strong correlation between sleep deficiency and cardiovascular problems
including high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Moreover, Insufficient sleep appears to affect the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar
increasing the risk of metabolic conditions like diabetes. Insufficient sleep can also put
people at a higher risk of developing pain, which may cause further sleep interruptions,
creating a negative cycle of worsening pain and sleep.

The consequences of sleep deficiency spares no one of any ages. Thus, it’s important
to have a consistent sleep schedule, set boundaries in our work and social life to
preserve the time we need at night and avoid electronic devices, caffeine before
bedtime.