What happens to your body when you don't sleep enough -

Lack of sleep not only affects behaviour but also has long-term effects on the body.

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Compromised immune system -

Not sleeping enough can lead to a compromised immune system, which makes you far more susceptible to having frequent colds and the like.

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Sleepiness -

This one's obvious: if you haven't slept properly, you are very likely to become extremely tired during the day. This could affect your work, and land you in a very undesirable situation.

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Cancer -

If you are up late at night watching TV because you can't sleep, your body will produce less melatonin. This can lead to cancer.

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Impulse control issues -

The less sleep you have, the more likely you are to make negative decisions and have poor impulse control.

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Weight gain -

Your body needs to regulate itself properly at night, and not sleeping properly makes this very difficult. This can lead to weight gain.

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Alzheimer’s disease -

Lack of decent sleep can lead to Alzheimer's disease, which is the leading cause of dementia. It can also lead to early onset Alzheimer's.

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Premature aging -

Sleep allows the body to heal itself. When you are deprived of sleep, the natural aging process will therefore accelerate.

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Loneliness -

If you are lying awake at night, you will naturally feel lonely, even if you have a sleeping partner next to you.

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Headaches -

If you get headaches, or especially migraines, make sure to try and get as much sleep as possible. Not sleeping enough can make symptoms far worse.

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Slower reactions -

If you are not getting enough sleep, your reaction times will decrease, as your body will be in a continual state of fatigue.

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Anxiety -

If you are prone to anxiety, it is of vital importance that you get as much sleep as possible. Avoid caffeine completely, or at least for several hours before sleeping.

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High blood pressure -

Lack of sleep can cause the body to go through stress, which in turn can exacerbate high blood pressure.

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Car accidents -

If you haven't slept properly, you may be in a drowsy state, and therefore are in no decent condition to drive. Leave the car at home on those days.

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Irritability -

Being sleep deprived will put us in strange and irritable moods. This is understandable, because people do not function at their best when their body is craving something important, like sleep.

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Bedroom issues -

There is nothing like constant tiredness and irritability to diminish the libido! If this is causing damage to your relationship with your partner, talk about it with them soon.

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Inflammation -

Lack of sleep can lead to inflammation of joints, and muscular issues. Proper sleep, a balanced diet, and keeping hydrated will always help.

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Memory loss -

Not having enough sleep can have a detrimental effect on both your short and long-term memory. This can be a particularly bad thing for students.

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Hallucinations -

Lack of sleep can cause confusion in terms of things like perception of shapes.

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Heart disease -

It is a scientific fact that there is a strong link between lack of sleep and heart disease. Think twice before agreeing to do all those overtime hours.

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Vision issues -

Not getting enough sleep can lead to various problems with your eyes, such as blurred vision or dryness.

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Gastrointestinal issues -

Issues such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are often exacerbated by a lack of sleep. The amount of sleep you have is important for the regulation of your metabolism.

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Diabetes -

There is a definite link between sleep disorders and Type 2 diabetes. The risk of insulin resistance rises when you don't have sufficient sleep.

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Sleep apnea -

If you suddenly stop breathing during the night, this is sleep apnea. It is more common in overweight people, and can lead to death.

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Healing delay -

When you are asleep, your body repairs itself. Therefore, it will always take longer to recover from an injury or illness if you are not sleeping properly.

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Speech issues -

The less sleep you have, the more likely you are to be forgetful about what you are saying, and even slur your words!

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Stroke -

More than half of people who have strokes also have serious sleep issues. The underlying cause of strokes is linked to blood flow, so lack of sleep can be a contributing factor.

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Low pain threshold -

Those with sleep issues can find pain tolerance a major issue. If you wake up because of pain, and then cannot sleep again, the cycle repeats itself.

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Snoring -

Snoring can be caused by underlying problems, such as being overweight. If you snore, try to improve your diet and sleeping position.

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Death -

Not sleeping properly is as bad for your health as smoking. Consider the implications of that. It can knock several years off your life expectancy.

Sources: (Self-Made)

See also: The leading causes of death around the world

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