What are some side effects of not getting enough sleep? In an article written by Resiliency Specialists Stacy Peterson and Brooke Werneburg on the Mayo Clinic website, they talk about how many hours of sleep we should be getting at night and why.

In the article it states that getting at least 7 hours of quality sleep is essential for our health. You might be thinking that not getting enough sleep doesn’t really have that big of an effect, but in the article it states otherwise.

A lack of sleep can make you irritable, make it hard to focus on your daily tasks, and affect your decision making. Peterson and Werneburg also state that sleeping less than 7 hours a night can be associated with weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression. While you might think that not getting enough sleep doesn’t have an effect on your physical health, the statements above prove otherwise.

I can definitely say from experience that when I had a period of time where I could not sleep hardly at all, it definitely affected so many things, especially my anxiety. I started having bad sleep issues around 3rd grade, and that’s also when I got diagnosed with panic disorder. I would have around 6 panic attack a day that lasted over an hour each. With a combination of going to therapy, and getting a sleep doctor, I was able to sleep at night and be less anxious.

Try to get enough sleep at night. Whether that means going to bed earlier or waking up later. See if it makes a difference in your mood or how well you can focus. Sleep can have such an impact on our daily lives, and on our health, so it’s important that we get at least 7 hours of sleep at night whenever possible.