5 New Reasons You Absolutely Need More Sleep

2. You could be at higher risk for dementia

3. You might make poor decisions—especially in a crisis

If you have to make a split second decision, sleep deprivation could make it harder, according to a new study from Washington State University researchers, published in the journal Sleep. In addition to impairing your attention span, lack of sleep seems to inhibit the brain’s ability to process information and act accordingly, study author Hans Van Dongen, director of the WSU Sleep and Performance Research Center at WSU Spokane, said in a statement. 

4. You may gain weight

Losing just 30 minutes of sleep per night might make you more susceptible to weight gain and metabolic issues, shows new research. The study authors say “sleep debt,” a term used to describe the hours of sleep people skimp on during the week, could eventually lead to obesity and insulin resistance, which is an indicator of diabetes. 

5. You could be more emotional

Sleep deprivation can affect the way people react to stressful situations, according to the new book Sleep and Affect: Assessment, Theory and Clinical Implications, co-edited by a University of Arkansas psychology professor and his former doctoral student. Sleep loss appears to cause the emotional regulation circuit of the brain to malfunction, says study author Matthew T. Feldner, a professor of psychology in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. “What we call 'stressors' tend to be more emotionally arousing for people who haven't slept well,” he said in a statement. 

/By Real Simple/