What A Lack Of Sleep Is Really Doing To Our Bodies

We all know how important sleep is for our health, but most of us are probably late to bed more than once or twice a week.

In fact, as a nation we’re not getting the recommended seven to nine hours a night. Instead, we get of average 6.3 hours, and almost a fifth of people (19%) get less than five.

We’ve already revealed how this lack of rest is affecting our skin, but how is it impacting our bodies in general?

Well, it doesn’t make for pleasant reading. It can have detrimental effects during the day, as over half of people (52%) admit to being more irritable, almost a quarter (24%) make unhealthy food choices and almost one in five (17%) make mistakes at work. A fifth of people (19%) suffer morning headaches or wake up with a very sore or dry throat, 17% experience forgetfulness and 11% a decreased interest in sex.

But sometimes it’s not our fault we’re not getting enough ZZZs. Nearly a third of men (29%) and a fifth of women (18%) worry that their snoring affects their partner or family members. After being disturbed by their partner’s sleep, a third (33%) have resorted to kicking or nudging them in the night and almost one in three (30%) have left to sleep in a different room.

Worryingly, this snoring could be an indicator of a condition called obstructive sleep apnoea, which can have serious short and long-term health consequences if left untreated. Aside from persistent snoring, symptoms include excessive sleepiness during the day and gasping for air during sleep.

Tom Kelly – Clinical Services Manager at Philips Respironics – says: ‘If you’re concerned about your partner’s snoring or recognise any of these symptoms in yourself, partner or family member, it’s vital you go see your GP who will be able to advise on whether you need to be referred to a sleep specialist.’

We kinda feel bad about those kicks in the night now…