sleep study

In 2009, Carnegie Mellon University in the USA published results of a sleep study showing that people who slept seven hours a night were three times more susceptible to a cold virus than those who got eight hours. The results confirmed the theory that how much you sleep has dramatic effects on your immunity. Too little sleep can also result in weight gain. Chronic sleep deprivation (in which you never get a good night’s sleep) can make you feel hungrier than normal and affect the way your body processes and stores carbohydrate. It may also take the enjoyment out of life and result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate and loss of memory. In addition, sleep disorders have been linked to high blood pressure (hypertension), increased stress hormone levels, irregular heartbeat and even cancer.