Sleeping is a basic human necessity, like eating, drinking, and breathing. Therefore, having adequate sleep is very vital for maintaining good health, and regularly failing to get sufficient sleep can lead to several negative effects on the body.

If you consistently miss sleep or decide to sleep less than necessary, your sleep loss, known as sleep debt, accumulates. Sleep debt refers to the overall amount of time you didn’t have adequate sleep. For example, if you sleep by 11 pm and wake up every 4 am instead of 6 or 7 am, lose 2 or 3 hours of sleep per night, you will have a 14-21 hour sleep debt after a week.

So, what happens if you don’t get enough sleep? Here are five things that can happen to your body if you don’t get enough sleep.

Lower Sex Drive
Having insufficient sleep can decrease energy levels, which can lead to decreased interest in sex, and both men and women can be affected.
Inadequate sleep can lower testosterone levels in men, a key hormone linked to sexual desire, and for women, sleep affects the balance of various hormones that regulate mood, arousal, and overall sexual interest.

Weakened immune system
During sleep, the body produces and releases proteins called cytokines, which help in fighting off infections and inflammation and the formation and functioning of lymphocytes, which are white blood cells that protect the body against infection and disease. Also, the immune system weakens without adequate sleep, making you more prone to common illnesses like colds and flu, and in some cases, it increases the risk of serious health conditions, including heart disease and certain types of cancer.

Cardiovascular Problems
According to the European Heart Journal, people who slept less than six hours a night were at a greater risk of developing heart disease than those who have a good rest, and irregular sleep-wake time can raise the risk of having some kind of cardiovascular event, including stroke, congestive heart failure, and coronary heart disease.

Similarly, some studies have shown that lack of adequate sleep is likely to contribute to an increased risk of cancer, particularly breast, colon cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer.

Impaired Brain Function
Are you one of those who stay all night studying a day or two before your exam, the fact that you did not sleep makes it harder to remember what you have studied.

A study published by Experimental Brain Research has shown that impaired brain functions such as memory loss, attention, problem-solving, and decision-making are some of the most immediate effects of inadequate sleep.

The more sleep you get, the more information is stored in the brain for a longer period and easy retrieval when necessary.

Sleep deprivation damages normal hippocampal functioning, hindering the formation of new memories.

Mood Alterations
You will agree with me that sleep and mood are highly connected and that is why you feel weak and even angry when something or someone wakes you up while sleeping. Lack of sleep can cause significant mood swings, irritability, and emotional instability.

If you continue to have inadequate sleep, your body will continue to increase the production of stress hormones like cortisol, which makes you more prone to anxiety, frustration, and depression.

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