Nightlife, in this era, has become a new normal. Night clubs, bars, cinemas, and parties are a major part of our youth’s lifestyle. But do these late-night festivities affect our wellbeing? Or should we take some precautionary measures?
But not many know how these habits lead to serious health problems. Though we enjoy such a relaxing time but an excess of anything, also these parties affect the functioning of the body negatively.
Good Night’s Sleep Is All You Need
Why is it so important to sleep at night and stay awake during the day, and not otherwise? The fact is that everything living, from bacteria to humans, reacts violently to the change of day and night under the influence of circadian rhythms. These internal clocks are responsible for the intensity of our biological processes.
Turning our regime “upside-down” (staying awake at night and sleeping off during the day) we disrupt the natural course of things. As a protest, our body often suffers.
How is Clubbing All Night Is Affecting Your Health?
1. Psychological State Suffers
Due to lack of sleep, the reaction speed, concentration, and the ability to make decisions suffer. Prolonged sleep deprivation reduces the production of the hormone of joy – serotonin. A low level of this hormone often leads to depression and loss of interest in life.
When a person constantly sleeps little and badly, he lives miserably. The person becomes extremely irritated, cannot always cope with emotions, and often breaks down on loved ones. It is especially true for women.
2. Acute Anxiety
By spending the whole night clubbing and drinking alcohol, a person ruins his health. Excessive drinking at night leads to acute anxiety in the morning. It is because alcohol causes blockage in glutamate (a chemical that causes anxiety). But when a person sobers up, the body reacts to it by producing more glutamate, which leads to acute anxiety.
3. Bad Impact on Immune System
Lack of proper (night) rest undermines the immune system and increases the risk of getting sick three times. It is during sleep that the immune system produces the proteins, cytokines that we need, especially during a pandemic. If a person sleeps little, then less cytokine is produced than normal.
4. Bad Skin
In women, sleepless nights are reflected as quickly as possible on the face in the form of bags and bruises under the eyes. The skin color becomes gray and wrinkles become deeper.
5. Effects Pancreas
Long-term insomnia “hits” the pancreas – some enzymes and hormones (including insulin) are less active. This overtime can serve the development of diabetes.
6. Heartburn and Acidity
Night shifts entail changes in eating habits and monotonous nutrition, which leave an imprint on the work of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to frequent nighttime snacks, the acidity of the stomach increases – often there is constant heartburn and gastritis appears.
7. Increase in Weight
What can we say about the danger of being overweight! Due to the slowed metabolism at night, the calories accumulated are practically not burned but stored as fats. All this leads to an increase in the level of “bad” cholesterol. Thereby, it increases the risk of heart attack and hypertension.
THERE IS A WAY OUT!
1. Watch Your Diet
People who work night shifts change their daily routine, frequency, and quality of food. Mistaking fatigue for hunger, they eat more in the evening and at night and consume a lot of fast food.
Eliminate meat, potatoes, pasta, sweets, and pastries from the menu. If possible, eat fractionally – make light snacks: natural yogurt, fruits, vegetable salads, or sandwiches made from grain bread with tuna.
2. Get Enough Sleep
When you return after spending the whole night, remember that sleep is your top priority right now. It is the key to health and well-being. Don’t be afraid to sound selfish and ask your family to leave you alone for 5-6 hours for a good rest.
3. Be Careful with Caffeine
Towards the end of the night shift, many workers feel tired and tone themselves up with a cup of coffee or energy drinks. But caffeine, drunk in the morning, keeps you awake. True, this is not a reason to completely abandon it. Otherwise, you risk constipation or headaches.
4. Move Around More
Did you know that during sleep, the pressure on the spine is equal to 50 kg, in the standing position – to 100 kg, and sitting on the buttocks exactly, we load ourselves as much as 220 kg! So if your work involves a sedentary lifestyle, take your legs in hand and try to go to the promenade around the office for at least 5 minutes every hour.
SUMMING UP
Night birds need to embrace a healthy lifestyle. True, this is much more difficult to do than to say. But listen to your body and don’t overwhelm yourself. Leave the bad habits and get enough sleep for having a healthy body and life.