Written by Lauren Murphy, SIU School of Medicine
In one of the latest documentaries by the National Geographic, entitled “Sleepless in America,” experts link poor sleep habits to some of the deadliest illnesses: Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. In the film, Dr. David Gozal of the University of Chicago suggests that recurrent sleep issues can directly affect cancer growth. In fact, his laboratory research has shown cancer cells can grow twice as fast in animals with chronic, disrupted sleep. Dr. Gozal suggests humans respect sleep as a part of our culture in order to prevent illness.
SIU School of Medicine neurologist and director of the Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders, Dr. Tom Ala agrees. He says sleep is a crucial element of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
“Poor sleep increases cognitive and physiological stress, interferes with our memory and interferes with the rest that helps our bodies recover from physiological stress. It also interferes with our ability to pursue healthy activities, such as eating healthy, exercising and taking proper care of ourselves,” Dr. Ala explains.
Dr. Ala goes on to explain that inadequate sleep could worsen the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. “The symptoms [of Alzheimer’s disease] are worsened because the patient would have even more difficulty concentrating, and one of the theories of sleep is that it reinforces our memories made while we are awake.”
Not sure if you’re getting enough Zzz’s? Here are six signs you should probably hit the hay earlier.
1. You have an insatiable appetite:  Too little sleep is linked to higher levels of ghrelin, a hormone that also triggers hunger.
2. ::Tear:: You’re an emotional basket case: In 2007, researchers found that sleep-deprived noggins were 60% more reactive to negative and disturbing images. Experts likened the change to the brain reverting back to a primitive state in which people are unable to put emotional experiences into the proper context or produce the appropriate response.
3. Just when you need to . . . Wait, what was I going to say? Oh, that’s right, just when you need to remember something important, your sleepy brain will likely forget it or lack the concentration necessary to focus. A lack of sleep has been consistently linked to difficulty focusing, a poor attention span, confusion, a decrease in alertness and concentration, forgetfulness and trouble learning.
4. You can’t seem to shake that cold: A 2009 study suggested that people who sleep fewer than seven hours per night were about three times more likely to catch a cold than people who got eight or more hours.
5. Your cat-like reflexes have disappeared: It seems sleep deprivation also affects our motor skills, leading to slowed reactions and questionable balance.
6. You think Marvin Gaye is talking about napping in his tune “Let’s Get It On:” Turns out a lack of sleep can also lead to a decreased sex drive and an increase in the stress hormone cortisol.
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