Study warns sleep deprivation has harmful effects on the brain

People not  getting the  required amount of sleep may be causing harm to their brain, a new study has found.

Sleep deprivation is known to cause depression, heart attacks, strokes and obesity. Now, researchers from Quebec-based digital health company Medisys have found it can severely damage the brain, the Daily Mail reported.

Being awake for 18 hours straight can be just as destructive to the brain as being drunk, which causes cognitive impairment. People who habitually get less than six hours of sleep a night, may not even be aware of the damaging health effects occurring in their brain.

While getting less sleep every now and then is no cause for alarm, frequently not getting the required amount can be very dangerous.

Why? Because your brain becomes less stable in that state of mind. This makes it difficult to focus on tasks and challenging to pay attention.

Sleeping less also affects the hunger hormones. "Sleep plays an important role in regulating the hormones that influence hunger (ghrelin, cortisol, and leptin) that's why sleep deprivation increases appetite and leads to overeating and weight gain", neuroscientist Dr Adrian Owen at Western University told Digital Journal.

Get better sleep with these tips as recommended by the report:

* Wear an eye mask to block out any light.
*  Try not to nap in the daytime
*  If you are living in a noisy area that is making it difficult to sleep, try earplugs
*  Move your alarm clock away or turn it against the wall. It could trigger stress if you pay too much attention to it.