Sleep tends to be a much-underestimated part of our well-being. You will always hear about how much you need food, water, and air to survive. However, sleep gets left at the wayside of these keys to survival. Keep reading to find out just how important it is to get enough sleep.

Sleep deprivation has nothing but adverse effects on the body. One of the most significant impacts it has is on your brain. Sleep is necessary for your brain to rest and process each day’s events. (This is why we dream!) When your brain isn’t getting enough recovery time through sleep each day, it doesn’t function as well. As more time passes, the less efficient your brain will be. Reaction times are slower; you can’t process the things you see quickly, your balance gets compromised, thought processes become messy and inconsistent, and many more cognitive issues result from lack of sleep. You can also experience crankiness and mood swings by not getting enough sleep; in extreme cases, you can even hallucinate!

Another massive blow to your health that comes from not getting enough sleep is what happens to your immune system. When you sleep, your body works on healing and building up all the cells that help you fight infection and disease. Your body can’t properly defend itself from getting sick without enough sleep. A weakened immune system can lead to many problems like a higher risk of diseases, infections, and even chronic conditions like heart disease and lung illness.

Not getting enough sleep can cause weight gain and even diabetes! Without a proper sleep schedule, your body can’t release enough hormones like insulin and leptin. These help you process sugars and feel when you’ve had enough to eat. When these hormones are out of whack, you will have a heightened appetite; and you will also be at a very high risk of developing diabetes.

So what can you do to prevent all these problems and more? Get enough sleep! The average amount of sleep every adult should be getting each night is between seven and nine hours. If you struggle to get enough sleep, schedule a sleep study with your doctor to find out why. Many things can contribute to sleep deprivation, so make sure you pay attention to your habits and possible health issues to achieve a healthy sleep schedule!

Until later, get some sleep, and keep the faith.