5 Signs You Need More Sleep

Not getting enough sleep regularly has worse consequences than just dozing off at your desk. It can lead to host of serious long-term health problems, including weakened immune system, obesity, high blood pressure and depression. But even if you don't feel particularly tired you may still be suffering from symptoms of fatigue. Here are the warning signs to watch out for.

1 Lack of libido
Otherwise healthy men who go without enough sleep have dramatically lower levels of testosterone the male sex hormone that is responsible for libido as well as building muscle and burning fat than those who get enough kip, according to a study in the Journal Of The American Medical Association. Getting only five hours of sleep a night can decrease testosterone levels by 10-15%. For comparison levels typically decline at a rate of about 1% a year as you age. So regular late nights might result in having the testosterone of a man 15 years older.

2 Lack of strength
As well as testosterone, your levels of other growth hormones are also compromised by a lack of sleep. meaning you'll struggle to add size and strength to your muscles. Research has also shown reduced sleep raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which breaks down muscle tissue and encourages the storage of fat.

3 Lack of concentration
When you're tired your ability to stay focused is on a par with when you are drunk,according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. Sleep deprivation prevents you from paying attention because your brain is slower at processing information.

4 Lack of memory
Are you struggling to remember a colleague's name or keep track of your social plans? The ability to store this type of 'declarative' memory is substantially enhanced by sleep, research from Harvard Medical School found.

5 Lack of appetite
Natural appetite fluctuates wildly when you're sleep-deprived, either making you want to eat all the time or not at all. This is because lack of sleep disrupts hormones that regulate glucose metabolism and appetite, especially in young adults with less than seven hours' kip, according to a study in the journal Sleep.

source: Men's_Fitness_UK_May2012