- Memory: Sleep disruption may affect memory processing and formation.
- Performance: People’s performance at work, school, and other settings is affected by sleep disruption. This includes focus, emotional reactivity, decision-making, risk-taking behavior, and judgment.
- Cognition: By affecting stress hormones, sleep disruption may affect cognition.
A 2015 study in the Journal of Child Psychology and PsychiatryTrusted Sourceshowed that children’s sleep patterns could directly impact their behavior and academic performance.
The link between weight gain and obesity and short sleep patterns is unclear.
There have been several studies throughout the years that have linked obesity and poor sleep patterns.
A 2018 studyTrusted Source suggests that people who regularly sleep less than seven hours a night are more likely to have a higher body mass index (BMI) and develop obesity than those who sleep more.
Researchers suggested sleep deprivation is associated with higher levels of gherlin (the hunger hormone), salt retention and inflammatory markers. They also noted that decreased sleep results in increased fatigue, which may affect a person’s desire or ability to exercise and maintain a healthful lifestyle.
More research is needed to better understand the links between poor sleep and weight gain.
Similarly to gaining weight, there is evidence to suggest that getting a good night’s sleep can help a person’s body take in fewer calories.
For example, a 2022 clinical trial found that overweight adults who increased their sleep duration took in fewer calories compared with a control group.
The adults increased their sleep by 1.2 hours on average, and took in around 270 calories fewer than the control group. The researchers suggested that improving and maintaining healthy sleep duration could help with weight loss and obesity prevention.
Adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night, but recent studies have suggested that athletes may need more.
Sleep is important for athletes and people participating in sport because the body heals during sleep. Other benefits include:
- better endurance
- more energy
- better accuracy and reaction time
- faster speed
- better mental functioning