It's Time To Blow That Midnight Candle!
How many times have you woke up feeling guilty for that extended one hour of sleep? When late night shifts becomes part of the work culture, gave way to, sleeping hours become time that is wasted. But is sleeping really time 'wasted'? If you think so, you probably need to know this. Even one sleepless night can cause visible damage to our genes! So it's time to give a wake-up call to sleep — or lack of it!
Content Index
- How much sleep is enough ‘sleep’?
- What happens when you don’t get enough sleep?
- Sleep better! Live better!
How much sleep is 'enough' sleep?
Recent statistics show that an average adult sleeps for 6.8 hours. But is that all we need?
Here's a report from the National Sleep foundation that helps you know how much healthy hours of sleep you need.
- Adults, 65+ years: 7 to 8 hours.
- Adults, 26 to 64 years: 7 to 9 hours.
- Young adults, 18 to 25 years: 7 to 9 hours.
- Teenagers, 14 to 17 years: 8 to 10 hours.
- School-age children, 6 to 13 years: 9 to 11 hours.
- Preschool children, 3 to 5 years: 10 to 13 hours.
- Toddlers, 1 to 2 years: 11 to 14 hours.
- Infants, 4 to 11 months: 12 to 15 hours.
- Newborns, 0 to 3 months: 14 to 17 hours.
You may not get to stick to this chart. We get that. But a minimum of seven hours of sleep is something you must start working on, if you want a healthy life.
What happens when cheat on your sleep?
To answer it outright, from dark under eye circles to death. Lack of sleep can kill you slowly before you even realise it. We are not being dramatic. There's even a Japanese term karoshi for death caused by lack of sleep.
Lack of sleep causes a wide variety of problems — from daytime drowsiness to heart attacks.
It all starts with short-term problems. Let’s see what the side effects of lack of sleep are.
Impaired alertness: Science says even missing as little as 1.5 hours of sleep can affect your concentration.
Daytime drowsiness: If you didn't get a good night's sleep, your body can't help feeling tired and sleepy during the day.
Difficulty to memorise: Struggling hard to remember dates or names? Maybe it's time to keep an eye on your sleep. Lack of sleep can affect your ability to think, remember, and process information.
Failed relationships: Lack of sleep can make you feel moody or irritated, and negatively impact your relationships with others. It’s more likely you will end up in fights.
Affects the quality of life: The less you sleep, the less active you will be. Even to do exercise, you need good quality sleep.
Increased risk of accidents: Did you know drowsy driving accounts for thousands of crashes, injuries and fatalities each year? Yes, the effects of lack of sleep can as gruesome as this!
From short term side effects to long term serious ones, it is just a wink away, if you keep the issue of lack of sleep unchecked.
Chronic sleep deprivation or lack of sleep can end up in:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Heart attack, heart failure, or stroke
- Obesity
- Depression
- Reduced immunity
- Lower sex drive
These serious health problems are scary enough, right? But to add to the horror, lack of sleep can even change your appearance.
Wrinkles and dark ‘under eye’ circles? You don't have to fret yourself searching for its causes. This is how it works. Lack of sleep can cause stress. The stress hormone, cortisol, breaks down collagen, causing wrinkles and fine lines. You can look far beyond your age if you don't get that proper sleep.
Sleep better! Live better!
Keep sleep on the top of your list
Late night exam preparation, last minute assignments, meeting deadlines — if there is something we sacrifice for all these, it is sleep. We do that often, right? But here’s the bad news. The more you take sleep for granted, the more gruesome the side effects of lack of sleep will be.
Have a consistent wake-up time
Who doesn't love those extra hours of sleep on a Sunday morning? But did you know waking up at the same time everyday (including those lazy week days) can actually help you sleep better at night? Try this, and you won't have those sleepless nights of tossing and turning.
Relax yourself before bedtime
Did you know you can actually train your body to associate certain activities with sleep? Take a warm bath or read a book before bedtime. It will not just make you feel better, but also help you sleep easily.
Say NO to smartphones and tablets
We all love to browse before bedtime - going through reels, checking WhatsApp and more. But did you know that the blue light emitted from these electronic devices can lead to production of cortisol, a stress hormone? And the result? Lack of sleep. So put your tablets and smartphone away at least one hour before sleep.
Did you sleep well? If not, you are not only compromising your health but also your skin. Even if you lie about that sleepless night, your skin won't. Yes, those puffy eyes will say it aloud. Sleep can make visible changes to your appearance. But relax! With a proper sleep routine and natural skincare, you can regain your healthy skin. Try out the skintelligent range of 100% natural skincare products from TheUnbottleCo.
Age Defence Body Lotion Proven To Fight Fine Lines and Wrinkles with Kojic Acid & Saffron Oil 200ml
To treat:
- Kojic acid treats skin conditions such as sun damage, scars, and age spots
- Saffron oil boosts collagen synthesis for brighter-looking skin
To prevent recurrence:
- Wheat germ oil builds collagen and improve skin elasticity
- Almond oil preserves skin’s natural moisture
Age-Defence Face Cleanser Proven To Fight Fine Lines & Wrinkles With Grapeseed Oil & Alpha Arbutin 100ml
To treat:
- Alpha-arbutin brightens skin tone and heals skin damage
- Grapeseed oil improves skin elasticity and flexibility
To prevent recurrence:
- Green tea reduces free radicals and detoxes skin
- Saffron evens and brightens skin tone without causing breakouts
Age Defence Face Serum For Fine Lines & Wrinkles with Grapeseed Oil 15ml
To treat:
- Grapeseed oil improves skin elasticity and flexibility
- Witch hazel relieves inflammation and tightens pores
To prevent recurrence:
- Rosehip oil exfoliates and brightens skin
- Saffron oil boosts natural collagen to improve skin elasticity and also brightens skin
You can always pause your Netflix. You can resume your late night chat the next morning. But if you don't sleep at night, a compensating sleep in the daytime won't help much. So make time for downtime, no matter what. It will give you healthy skin, a healthy body and a healthy you!