The need for Sleep is as important as the human need for food and breathing. Lack of sleep can cause various adverse effects on health. Then, what happens if we lack sleep?

Sleep has an important role in the body. At sleep, the body will improve itself, both physical and mental conditions, so we feel refreshed and energized when we wake up, and ready to undergo activities throughout the day.
In addition, sleep also helps the process of growth and development, especially in children and adolescents, because it is during sleep that growth hormones are released.

In general, humans need quality sleep for 7-9 hours every day, so that metabolism runs optimally. For children and adolescents, they need  8-10 hours every day.



Lack of sleep can cause you to look tired when you wake up, yawn throughout the day, and difficult to concentrate. The following things can also happen if you often get less sleep:

1. Get serious illness

9 out of 10 people with insomnia also suffer from various serious illnesses. Insomnia is a condition of someone who has difficulty falling asleep or having difficulty sleeping soundly.
One serious disease that can be suffered by insomnia is heart disease, such as heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias), heart failure, or heart attacks.

Be aware that sleep plays an important role in the ability to repair damage to blood vessels and the heart. That is why people who sleep less are more prone to suffer from heart disease.

Insomniacs have a higher risk of suffering from diabetes, obesity, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, and mental health problems such as mood and anxiety disorders.

2. Easily sick and difficult to recover

The immune system produces proteins called cytokines. Cytokines are needed to help the body fight infection, inflammation, and stress. When we sleep, the body will release cytokines. If we lack sleep, then the production of these cytokines will also be reduced.


Lack of sleep also causes a decrease in the ability of the immune system and cell performance in fighting infection. Of course, this can harm the ability of the immune system to fight infection and the speed of the natural healing process.

3. Decreased sex performance

Men and women who lack sleep, are reported to have a decreased desire to have sex and have a lower level of sexual satisfaction. Their sexual desire is reduced due to fatigue, drowsiness, and increased stress due to lack of sleep.

For men who suffer from sleep apnea will have an impact on lack of sexual interest, due to the low production of the hormone testosterone.

4. Reduces memory

Sleep is the time to put things that have been learned and experienced throughout the day into the short-term memory system. During sleep, the nerve connections that support one's memory experience strengthening.


If sleep time is interrupted, the brain's ability to automatically process and store memories will be disrupted. Research also shows that lack of sleep, in the long run, can result in a decrease in the brain's ability to think and process information.

Lack of sleep will cause a person to be sleepy, which is one of the reasons people forget. Drowsiness also causes loss of concentration ability. If this continues, then don't be surprised if your memory weakens.

5. Accelerate premature aging

What will you see on the faces of people who sleep less? Pale skin and swollen eyes, right?
If lack of sleep occurs continuously, the skin will become dull, smooth wrinkles arise, and there are dark circles under the eyes.


                                                     Photo by Thomas Kinto on Unsplash

This occurs due to the increased production of the hormone cortisol in people who lack sleep.
Excessive cortisol hormones can destroy collagen, which serves to smooth and maintain skin elasticity. Sleep deprivation also causes a reduced production of growth hormone, which plays a role in increasing muscle mass, thickening the skin, and strengthening bones.

6. Stroke

As a result of sleep deprivation that can occur next is to increase the risk of stroke. Keep in mind, the danger of lack of sleep can reduce the performance of the heart so that it makes blood flow to the brain become blocked which ultimately triggers a stroke.

7. High blood pressure

The effect of lack of sleep one to six hours per day can cause an increase in systolic blood pressure and can interfere with daily activity. This is what triggers high blood pressure.