The doctor spoke about the connection between chronic diseases and lack of sleep

If you do not get enough sleep for several years, the risk of health problems increases significantly. Maxim Novikov, a somnologist at Meditsina JSC (Academician Roitberg Clinic), warned about this on March 21 in an interview with Gazeta.Ru».

"Lack of sleep has an extremely negative effect on the body's condition, for example, if you sleep less than six hours a day for 7-8 years, the risk of serious chronic diseases such as cardiovascular, diabetes and cancer increases dramatically," he warned.

The expert stressed that chronic lack of sleep makes a person more vulnerable to various infections, as it significantly weakens the immune system. At the same time, the risk of stress and anxiety increases, which can later cause depression, psychological disorders and mental deterioration.

"Symptoms that should be an indication to consult a specialist: frequent awakenings at night, snoring, morning headache, problems with memory or concentration, in addition to physical symptoms such as high blood pressure and heart disorders," Novikov said.

Earlier, on March 14, Sergo Tsenteradze, a neurologist and somnologist at the Department of Sleep Medicine at UCB No. 3 of the Sechenov University Clinical Center, told Izvestia that sleep disorders can be a factor provoking depression. He stressed that sleep is essential for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. So, even one sleepless night leads to an accelerated accumulation of beta-amyloid in the brain, a protein that plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.