If you are like millions of Americans, you are missing out on your required sleep. But sleep deprivation is no laughing matter and recent studies show insufficient sleep can result in serious medical risks.

Sleep and Obesity

There has been evidence which supports people who get less than 7 hours of sleep per night are more likely to be obese compared to their well rested counterparts. The less sleep you get the more you are likely to weigh according to researchers.

Most common causes of sleep deprivation

• Overactive mind: Can't get that project deadline out of your head? Well you are doing yourself a disservice by not giving your mind a break.
• Try: Meditation or enjoy something light-hearted to put your mind at ease.

• Weekend Warrior: On the weekends you look forward to sleeping in after a late night of frolic and mayhem, but sleeping in may not be as good for you as you may think. Your body is thrown off and yearns for consistency.
• Try: Avoid sleeping in longer than one hour to keep you on track.

• Hungry Stomach: Hunger pains can keep you up throughout the night especially if you are dieting.
• Try: A high protein snack before bedtime (cheese, eggs, and nuts) to rest your hunger pains.

• Noisy Partner: If your partner is a snorer, good luck with that. Research shows a snorer can reach 90 decibels, as loud as a blender.
• Try: Encourage your partner to sleep on their side which may help. If not, buy earplugs and worst case scenario get a new partner.

Side Effects of Too Little Sleep

• Unhealthy eating can lead to obesity-when your body does not get the necessary sleep you are more likely to reach for unhealthy options like junk food. In fact people experiencing sleep deprivation often crave more calories than their body needs.

• Immune system compromised (risk for heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes)-studies show people who had insufficient sleep for 10 days had higher C-reactive proteins present, an inflammatory indicator linked to heart disease and other autoimmune diseases.

• Lowered Glucose Levels-After 6 days of unrest your body can become resist to insulin, a hormone which helps transport glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. Other individuals who regularly slept on average fewer than 6 hours per night, studies show, had trouble metabolizing sugar properly.

• Moody, Cranky-have you ever been around someone who is always tired? Not a joy to be around, eh? However their sour disposition may be the least of their worries. Less sleep decreases mental clarity thus leading to slower reaction time which may prove hazardous for some.

• Stress Kills (hypertension, heart disease)-less sleep results in higher cortisol levels, a stress hormone which increases heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels.