Does lack of sleep stunt growth?

Not being able to sleep for a few nights will not have any impact on the height of a person. However, if you are unable to sleep properly for several days, it can lead to stunted growth. When we sleep, plasma growth hormones, which has an impact on the height of a person, is released by the body. If a person suffers from insomnia or if they get little sleep, the generation of hormones is suppressed.

Lack of sleep will not only lead to stunted growth, but also has several other side effects. Some of the other side effects of insomnia or sleep deprivation include:

• Can cause accidents
• Affects the cognitive process
• Can lead to serious health problems like heart problems, blood pressure, and diabetes
• Affects sex drive
• Leads to depression
• It becomes difficult to remember things if you don’t sleep properly
• Ages your skin faster
• Leads to weight gain
• Can increase the risk of death

 

References

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/10-results-sleep-loss?page=3

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC297368/?page=1