Shocking images show the effects of poor sleep including hallucinations, tremors and illness
- Sleep psychologist uncovers the surprising facts about what sleep deprivation does to the body
- Within just two weeks your skin can begin to sag and weight gain can occur
- Interactive tool shows the horrifying impact of chronic sleep deprivation
Startling new graphics have revealed the effects of not getting enough sleep – including serious potential health problems.
Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to depression, weight gain, as well as high blood pressure, diabetes and a host of other physical ailments, including tremors and heart attacks. It can also significantly affect your appearance, leading to premature wrinkling and dark circles.
The new study, by bed retailer Happy Beds with sleep psychologist Katherine Hall, has highlighted the physical health difficulties posed by a lack of sleep and visualised this as an interactive slider tool showing ‘Sleep Deprived Sally and Sam’. These include:
- 24 hours
Even in the first 24 hours, despite there being no major health complications, there would be some visible signs of sleep deprivation, including dark circles under the eyes, puffy eyes, and tremors. Some people experience increased food cravings, anger, and irritability. Drowsiness, fatigue, decreased alertness, and increased risk of making mistakes is also common.
- 2 days
The previous symptoms will intensify with an increased urge to sleep. Physical symptoms include extreme fatigue, increased appetite, increased inflammation, and a compromised immune system.
- 3 days
At this stage, with little to no sleep, your urge to sleep will feel unbearable and your perception of reality will be severely impaired and distorted. Skin will look pale and sallow, with increased dark circles around the eyes.
- 5 days
After two weeks of little to no sleep there will be an increased chance of illness due to a compromised immune system, low mood with increased anxiety and weight gain may become apparent. Chronic sleep deprivation also can severely affect your appearance, with skin sagging and very dark circles and bloodshot eyes.
How to sleep better
Sleep psychologist, Katherine Hall, offered advice on how to get better sleep through some slightly unusual methods:
- Lower your body temperature – Most people achieve optimal sleep in a room that’s 65 degrees. Cool surroundings prevent your body from overheating.
- Warm your feet –Studies show that wearing socks to bed can improve blood flow through a process called distal vasodilation. As the blood vessels in your feet warm-up or dilate, your core temperature begins to drop.
- Exercise to tighten and release muscles – Squeezing then releasing your muscles promotes full-body relaxation. It’s a technique called progressive muscle relaxation that can mimic the tension release of a massage.
- Do a headstand before bed – Headstands help circulate refreshed blood to your brain, specifically the master glands — the pituitary and hypothalamus. It also helps detoxify the adrenal glands to help expel negative thoughts and promote more positive thinking.
Rex Isap, CEO at Happy Beds, commented:
“We wanted to explore the effects of suffering from limited or poor sleep over an extended period of time. Hopefully Sleep Deprived Sally and Sam help to show that getting good sleep really isn’t something that should be compromised on and is a vital part of maintaining our physical and mental health.”
To find out more about Sleep Deprived Sally and Sam, and use the interactive tool, please visit: https://www.happybeds.co.uk/blog/sleep-deprived-sally-the-physical-effects-of-poor-sleep
