Lack of sleep is often reflected on the face through dark circles, but this aesthetic consequence is only the tip of the iceberg.
The consequences of short, bad nights can be much wider.
Two doctors explain to us everything that lack of sleep causes in the body and the brain.
In video, five signs that show that you are in sleep debt
A tenfold risk of weight gain
“People who sleep little are four times more likely to be obese,” says Sylvie Crépelle, a sleep doctor at the Bichat-Claude-Bernard hospital (Paris 18th century) and the Ellasanté medical center.
This risk of weight gain is due to metabolic changes in the body.
“Sugar is the main source of energy for the brain.
And the more we lack sleep, the more we will be attracted to sweet foods in order to be able to hold on”, indicates Yves-Victor Kamami, sleep doctor and author of the book
Sleep better thanks to the Zen minute and other methods
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The level of sugar in the blood increases and this can lead to diabetes.
"People who sleep less than six hours a day have a 28% increased risk of having type 2 diabetes," says Dr. Crépelle.
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Impact on quality of life
Lack of sleep directly impacts mood, whether it's a single sleepless night or an accumulation of bad nights.
"People who are permanently sleep deprived tend to be depressed," says Dr. Kamami.
Those with constant sleep disturbances “are not only tired all the time, but also more irritable.
We get angry more easily, we are less pleasant, we can subsequently refuse outings and isolate ourselves... This succession of effects can lead to depression, ”adds Dr. Crépelle.
Impaired intellectual abilities
Unsurprisingly, people who don't get enough sleep also have problems thinking and remembering, since it's while sleeping that the brain records the day's data and sorts it out.
“If you have good, restful sleep, you record data more easily and memory will go smoothly,” says Dr. Kamami.
If this is not the case, intellectual abilities can be affected because "sleep plays a role in neuronal construction and cell maintenance", according to Dr. Crépelle.
The siesta, a trap
To catch up on their sleep debt, some opt for a nap or a micro-nap.
However, this should not exceed 20 minutes.
“Otherwise, we risk having a bad night, and we will be tired the next day.
It's a vicious circle,” warns Yves-Victor Kamami.
Due to fatigue, we can also face difficulty concentrating, exposing us more to the risk of “car, work or domestic accidents”, she recalls.
On the road, the professional even compares the effects of a sleep debt on our vigilance to the state of intoxication: "It's the same thing, the ability to react and intellectual skills are reduced".
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Behavior disorder in children
For the youngest, lack of sleep can result in hyper activity and aggressiveness.
"The child has less control over his emotions," she explains.
In addition, the production of growth hormones is significantly slowed down, “the latter are generated during the night when we sleep.
So in the case of a child who sleeps very little or badly, there may be a slowdown in his growth curve, ”says the doctor.
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Better sleep thanks to the Zen minute and other methods
, by Dr Yves-Victor Kamami, Ed.
Dolphin, €15.20.
What your sleeping positions reveal
What your sleeping positions reveal
In images, in pictures
See the slideshow07 photos
See the slideshow07 photos