In today's fast paced society, sleep is something that we all take for granted. Not having enough hours in the day, lack of sleep, is the excuse that we many times use or tell ourselves that we will catch up on over the weekend. But is this type of schedule taking a toll on your body that you may not be aware of until it could be too late?

Four out of ten individuals surveyed by the National Sleep Foundation report that they seldom get a good night's sleep which is 40% and 25% less than received a century ago. You may think that giving up that one or two hours of sleep does nothing more than make you a little tired the next day but your body tells a different story. Lack of sleep can be more dangerous and serious than you think.

Depriving your body of the sleep that it craves can lead to high blood sugar levels, depression, faster aging and even brain damage. Your body depends on sleep to keep your thyroid and stress hormones under control. When you toy with this internal structure, you run the risk of affecting your heart, metabolism, immune system and memory.

More recent studies have uncovered another factor that may surprise you. A gain in abdominal fat that adds to the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke are signs that your body needs more sleep. Even if you exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet, you may not see the results that you are after.

Your body is programmed to do most of its critical mending of the immune system during a deep sleep. When waking before this cycle has been completed actually interrupts this cycle and affects your immune system and it’s ability to protect you from illness and disease. Those suffering from lack of sleep may also experience a craving for starchy and sweet foods instead of vegetables and dairy products, throwing you into a pre-diabetic state.

If you find that you automatically wake each day but feel unrested and tired, try changing the temperature of your room to where it is cooler. The quietness of the night also prevents some people from staying asleep. Create some type of white noise, such as a fan running or the sounds of nature through tapes to add a peaceful atmosphere without being noisy. Avoid going to sleep with the TV on as this may interrupt your dream cycle with outside interference.

Allow your body to wind down at least an hour before trying to sleep or you will find your mind traveling a million miles a minute, going over your actions of the day. Anything to pull your mind away from the stress of the day will work such as reading a book or watching a mindless TV show that allows your brain to relax.

Lack of sleep isn’t, and shouldn’t be, something that we just shrug off.

When you receive the proper amount of sleep that your body requires, you will feel more mentally and physically alert. You may also find that it is easier to stay on a lower carbohydrate diet (and eating a cleaner diet in general) as opposed to wanting sweets and starches. And having more sleep will allow you to have more energy during your exercise program – not mention helping your body’s potential to burn more body fat.

© Mandy Gibbons

virtualfitnesstrainer.com