What Happens to the Body When You Sleep Less Than 7 Hours a Day: Frightening Facts

Simba, a company specializing in sleep technology, used artificial intelligence (AI) to investigate how the human body changes when it doesn't get enough sleep. The Daily Mail reports on the effects of sleeping less than seven hours a day on a person's appearance.

Simba surveyed 2,175 adults in Britain, gathering information about their sleep habits, health conditions, and appearance. The AI processed the responses and generated images based on the data (published in the Daily Mail). The publication did not specify how many people reported suffering from sleep deprivation during the survey.

Among those who didn't get enough sleep, 15% complained of brittle nails, 24% reported increased skin sensitivity, 16% suffered from eczema, 7% from psoriasis, and 10% were unhappy with their dull skin tone.

According to Simba representative Lisa Artis, blood flow increases during sleep, which supports the skin's natural repair processes. Sleep disturbances reduce blood flow, causing the skin to become pale and lose its natural glow and tone. Sleep problems trigger an increase in the stress hormone cortisol, which worsens the condition of eczema and psoriasis, leading to irritation, redness, and itching.

26% of the sleep-deprived respondents were overweight, and 32% suffered from bloating. Lisa Artis explains that hormones ghrelin and leptin, which control hunger and satiety, are balanced in the body during sleep. Lack of sleep increases ghrelin levels, making people feel hungrier, and lowers leptin levels, leading to problems with feeling full. This imbalance causes sleep-deprived individuals to overeat and increase their consumption of high-calorie sweet foods.

The Daily Mail also reports that lack of sleep affects thermoregulation, and the hands and feet of those who don't get enough sleep may feel cold.

It is well known that adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per day. It is rare for someone to get enough sleep in 6 hours. Chronic sleep deprivation leads to difficulties with concentration, severe fatigue, and immune system problems.

One of the causes of sleep deprivation can be smartphones. Doctors are increasingly advising people to avoid using gadgets before bed and immediately after waking up. In this case, sleep may normalize within a month.

Getting enough sleep on weekends can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. People who made up for sleep deprivation by sleeping longer on weekends had a roughly 20% lower risk of heart disease compared to those who were constantly sleep-deprived.