A new study shows poor sleep can slow down parts of your brain and make you a bit sluggish, reports Medical Xpress.
We have all been there. We stay up late and skip a few hours of sleep or go out on an all-nighter and forget sleeping altogether. But missing out on your sleep, even a few hours, can have some long-lasting consequences in your body. Lack of sleep could increase your chances of developing hypertension, diabetes, obesity and even depression.
Skipping a few ZzZzz can even affect the function of genes involved in a myriad of processes. For example, a 2013 study identified more than 700 genes that had their function altered by lack of sleep. A 2016 study found that sleep deprivation also affects genes involved in cholesterol metabolism and our response to injury.