Photo: Noodle93 / Flickr

Grumpy, groggy and lethargic. That’s likely how you feel when you’re not getting enough sleep. Plus, you’ll probably find you can’t concentrate as well as you should be able to and you may even suffer from muscle pain. These side-effects of lack of sleep are unpleasant, but not really dangerous. However, new research has linked insomnia with some serious diseases, including diabetes, colon cancer and heart disease. This should make you think twice about burning the candle at both ends. Your body was designed to rest every night, and if you’re depriving it of that rest you may be putting your health at risk.

Colon cancer

A recent study published in the journal Cancer found that people who slept fewer than six hours a night were almost 50 per cent more at risk for developing colorectal adenomas (fleshy growths that can become cancerous if not treated) then people who slept at least seven hours.

Dr Li, the study’s main author, said that the colon cancer risk posed by too little sleep over a long period of time was comparable to the risk posed to those with first-degree relatives – parents or siblings – who developed colon cancer.

As yet scientists are uncertain what the link between colon cancer and lack of sleep is, but they suspect it may be due to a lower production of melatonin, a hormone that has been linked, in animals, to DNA repair.

Heart disease

Researchers from the University of Chicago found a link between too little sleep and raised levels of cortisol, the ‘stress hormone’, in the evening and afternoon. Cortisol increases blood glucose, heart rate and blood pressure and causes alertness which, in turn, affects your ability to sleep.

A lack of sleep puts the heart under strain, and raised levels of cortisol can turn sleepless nights into a pattern by telling the body it needs to be alert at the time of day it should be winding down.

If you find yourself struggling with insomnia, the first step is to make sure you are sleeping on a firm – yet comfortable – mattress. Then, avoid caffeine or any other stimulant close to bedtime. Finally, develop a sleep routine. Go to bed at the same time every night, and spend some time winding down before hitting the sheets.

If your insomnia is serious and is interfering with your quality of life, it’s a good idea to get specialist help.

Tags: sleep routine, Sleeplessness