How many hours of sleep do you get each night? It could cost you a lot more than a tired morning.
Sleep is the ultimate powerbank for us to recharge and refresh so that we’re ready for the next day.
However, the amount of time we spend snoozing is incredibly important.
It’s well known that we need between seven or eight hours of sleep every night so that our brains are doing what they need to while we’re off in la la land.
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But what would happen if you only slept for six?
According to Benson for Beds, on average, a lot of us only get 6 hours and 24 minutes of sleep per night.
While it might not seem like it’s going to be detrimental to our health, it could have short term and long-term consequences.
Sleep expert Dr Sophie Bostock at the bed store shared that if you keep up with the under sleeping, in 25 years you’re going to look like this.
Hannah was created to show what British people would look like in 2050 if they kept sleeping for six hours.
You can see that at 40, she looks much older than her age.
According to the bed manufacturer, Hannah now suffers from short term memory loss, skin aging, hair loss and obesity.
This is all thanks to her sleeping habits.
She also now suffers from jaundice and wrinkles, shoulder and back pain and an overall naff health outlook.
Dr Bostock said: “Hannah is a thought-provoking illustration of the holistic impact that sleep has on maintaining overall health. Studies show that prolonged sleep deficiency can put you at a higher risk for conditions that may impact the heart including obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.”
She added: “Research into the importance of consistent, good quality sleep for our health and wellbeing has accelerated in the last few decades. Many of us don't realise that haphazard daily routines and lack of sleep interfere with our circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycles which control our physiology.”
The sleep experts designed Hannah using data which was published in research papers in academic journals since 2010, which shows the physical impacts on the brain, immune system, muscles, skin, eyes and hair, and all over.
Hannah has alopecia, a weakened immune system, and is more vulnerable to respiratory infections.
She also has eczema, and lives in chronic pain.
Her leptin and ghrelin hormones, which control feelings of hunger and fullness is all out of whack, meaning that she craves food all the time.
Essentially, Hannah’s health has slumped and it’s all down to her sleeping habits.
Dr Bostock believes that this could all be prevented if you get your body ready for a nice long sleep, such as waking up at the same time each day, exercising, take outdoor beaks and keep your bedroom dark.
Let’s be honest, you don’t want to end up like Hannah because you’ve been neglecting your body and your sleep health.
Britt Jones