When you are young, everything seems possible.

People in their 20s can work, study, and party all night long without feeling sick the next day. I used to combine my studies with freelance work, where I had to work at night.

The company was based in Europe but served US customers. I was eager to improve my business communication and English speaking skills. I’ve gained a lot of experience, but I’ve also sacrificed my health to make it all happen.

If you ever consider working at night, this is what will happen to you in time.

Drowsy and Weak All-Day

According to the “Why we sleep” book by Mattew Walker, sleep is vital for humans. New neuron connections are formed at night, enabling us to learn new things and process what happened during the day.

“Sleep is the price we have to pay to be able to learn new things.” — neuroscientist Chiara Cirelli

At first, I could perfectly combine my studies with part-time work, but my body gave up shortly. My biological rhythm was broken. I felt weak and tired the whole day.

Changes Will Occur to Your Digestive System

At night, body temperature lowers, and all internal processes become slower, including the digestion. If you eat before going to bed, you’re not giving the digestive system time to rest. Those who sleep less tend to show more preference for high carbohydrate foods (sweets, salty food, and starchy foods).

The same happened to me. I ate snacks and sweets to boost brain activity, which resulted in a weight loss later.

Workout Causes Tiredness

Due to continuous sleep deprivation, the body is not able to fully recover from past stress, physical activities, and injuries. I remember being too lazy to go outside and work out. Without a proper day-night regime, I became dull and indifferent to everyday things.

Facial Skin Will Start Changing

Minor body changes are impossible to notice right away. In time, my facial skin became pale with dark circles under the eyes. As a result, I had to apply makeup to tune the face color.

The skin is the human’s largest organ, yet it is the last to get vital vitamins. Our body allocates most of the energy to the life-essential organs, while the skin gets what’s left.

I Was In My 20s When I Felt Like a Middle-Aged Man

It’s been more than 5 years since I quit working at night. However, I still have some side effects. The long-term effects of sleep deprivation are real. Take care of your body, health, and mood from a young age to live a long and happy life.

Source  : Medium