How does lack of sleep affect your weight, mood and brain?

We’re probably no stranger to a bad night’s sleep and the effect it has on us the next day. We’re groggy, irritable, lethargic and just generally not on our A-game.

But do you know how lack of sleep affects us long-term?

According to the Sleep Foundation, a third of people in the UK suffer from sleep problems and the stress of the pandemic has led to even more of us to experience sleep difficulties, aptly dubbed “coronasomnia.” Just one hour of sleep disruption is enough to cause problems and if this continues long-term, puts our health at serious risk.

Here are just some of the unpleasant side effects of lack of sleep:

Increase risk of Alzheimer’s

Throughout the day, our brains produce a range of toxins. The accumulation of these toxins is associated with brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. However, during sleep, not only does the brain stop producing these toxins, but it also produces a cerebral fluid which, in essence, pressure-washes the brain to remove the toxins that have built up, reducing the accumulation associated with increased risk of Alzheimer’s.

Weakened immune system

Research shows that our bodies produce and release proteins called cytokines that target infection and inflammation when we sleep. This means those with reduced or disrupted sleep are at a greater risk of getting colds and flu.

Additionally, being sleep deprived can affect how well we respond to vaccines – both Covid-19 booster jabs as well as seasonal flu. The better you sleep, the more antibodies your body produces to combat viral pathogens once you’ve been vaccinated.

Weight gain

According to the Sleep Foundation, numerous studies have suggested that restricted sleep and poor sleep quality may lead to metabolic disorders, weight gain, and an increased risk of obesity.

One theory behind this link is that lack of sleep appears to increase hunger and appetite — in particular for calorie-dense foods high in carbohydrates. This is because sleep duration affects hormones regulating hunger — ghrelin and leptin. Additionally, lack of sleep leads to fatigue and results in less physical activity.

Mood changes

Studies have shown that even partial sleep deprivation has a significant effect on mood. University of Pennsylvania researchers found that subjects who were limited to only 4.5 hours of sleep a night for one week reported feeling more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. When the subjects resumed normal sleep, they reported a dramatic improvement in mood.

Using NAD+ to help your sleep

NAD+ IV therapy can help to promote healthy sleep by improving the regulation of your circadian rhythms. Increasing your NAD+ levels helps to regulate your sleep/wake cycles, to ensure your body reaps all the benefits of a good night’s sleep.

In addition, NAD+ is known to have a profound effect on mitochondrial function. A recent research review revealed that mitochondria play a critical role in sleep via certain patterns of gene and protein expression, and so NAD+ therapy can help combat things like insomnia.

Here at NADclinic, we’ve been helping people get better sleep through our revolutionary NAD+ IV infusion therapy for a number of years now.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, contact us at the clinic to find out how we can help.