A medical expert has issued a stark warning about the dangers of poor sleep, labelling consistently insufficient sleep as a ‘silent killer’. Dr Eric Berg DC, known for his expertise in healthy diets and intermittent fasting, highlights the severe consequences of not getting enough hours.
He insists that sleeping less than six hours every night puts you at an increased risk of premature death and diseases like cancer, diabetes, and dementia. Dr Berg took to his YouTube channel to share the warning, which has more than 13 million subscribers.
In a recent video called: “The SILENT KILLER Nobody Talks About”, he warns: “If you’re consistently getting less than six hours of sleep, you increase your risk of premature death, cancer, diabetes, dementia, and more.”
While the odd restless night might not be disastrous, repeated poor sleep can elevate your likelihood of serious health issues such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cancers linked to various organs. Dr Berg detailed: “Your risk of premature death increases by 30%, cancer risk increases by 40%, increased risk of diabetes by 50%, and increased risk of dementia problems like Alzheimer’s.
“There’s a huge percentage of Alzheimer’s patients that just don’t sleep and getting one hour or four hours of sleep will literally shut down your immune system by 70%.”He explains that sleep is one of the best ways to clean the brain of damaged proteins. Sleep is crucial for repairing and restoring the entire body, particularly the immune system, reports Bristol Live.
“Without sleep, the immune system shuts down, leaving you vulnerable to infection”, warns Dr Berg. “Why do we really need sleep? One of the reasons is that sleep is the best way to clean your brain. There’s a certain effect that sleep does to your brain. It acts like a dishwasher. It’s cleaning the brain of damaged proteins – but only if you’re actually getting real sleep.”
What happens during REM sleep?
- Your brain is very active during REM sleep, similar to when you’re awake.
- Your eyes move rapidly behind closed eyelids.
- Your breathing and heart rate increase.
- Your muscles temporarily become paralysed to prevent you from acting out your dreams.
- Your body doesn’t regulate its temperature properly during REM sleep.
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep supports parts of the brain involved in creativity, memory, and problem-solving. It enhances social interaction, emotional stability, empathy, and your mood throughout the day. “REM sleep is a stage of sleep when your eyes move quickly behind closed eyelids and you dream,” added Dr Berg. “It’s a vital part of sleep that affects your memory, mood, and mental focus.”
Most repair occurs during non-REM sleep, also known as deep or delta-wave sleep, says Dr Berg. As you age, non-REM delta wave sleep decreases significantly. He continued: “Delta wave sleep is vital for fat burning, cell repair, and cell regeneration. It’s also when your body fights infections most effectively.”
What is insomnia?
The NHS states: “Insomnia means you regularly have problems sleeping. It usually gets better by changing your sleeping habits.” You likely have insomnia if you regularly:
- find it hard to go to sleep
- wake up several times during the night
- lie awake at night
- wake up early and cannot go back to sleep
- still feel tired after waking up
- find it hard to nap during the day even though you’re tired
- feel tired and irritable during the day
- find it difficult to concentrate during the day because you’re tired
Experiencing sleep issues for a short span, under three months, is known as short-term insomnia, while struggles lasting beyond this point signal long-term insomnia. The first step towards diagnosis is to have a chat with your GP about your symptoms.
They’ll look into the root cause of your insomnia to ensure you receive appropriate treatment. Should the situation be severe or other remedies prove ineffective, sleeping pills may be prescribed – though typically just for a few days or weeks. If you’re troubled by any of these symptoms, it’s time to consult a doctor.
What experts say:
Frequent night-time awakenings, insufficient sleep, oversleeping, and erratic sleep habits can all mess with your glucose intolerance. Good quality sleep time is pivotal for metabolic equilibrium and disrupting it can play havoc with your blood sugar levels.
Research robustly connects frequent poor sleep to diabetes, while the relation to cancer and dementia is somewhat murkier. A study from the National Institute of Health bears the title: “Lack of sleep in middle age may increase dementia risk”.
However, the study’s author Dr Séverine Sabia, associated with Inserm and University College London, cautioned: “While we cannot confirm that not sleeping enough actually increases the risk of dementia, there are plenty of reasons why a good night’s sleep might be good for brain health.”
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, insufficient sleep might escalate dementia risk. A statement on its website reads: “There is some evidence to suggest that a lack of sleep may increase a person’s risk of dementia. But, there is not enough to say for sure.”
On a related note, the World Cancer Research Fund has offered insights on their website, stating: “The association between cancer and sleep is not straightforward; stress and lack of sleep can make unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise more likely, which in turn can increase the risk of overweight and obesity. This has been shown to increase the risk for several cancers.”
Additionally, the statement addresses those with irregular sleep schedules: “For people who work shifts or during the night, there’s evidence suggesting they are more likely to develop some types of cancer, such as breast and prostate cancer. This is likely to be because people who work shifts are less likely to get enough sleep, making it harder to make healthy choices, and are more likely to develop overweight or obesity.”
Tips for better sleep:
- Avoid alcohol
- Drink kombucha tea
- Exercise regularly
- Avoid eating too late
- Avoid eating too much protein
- Sleep in a cool, dark room
- Avoid too much caffeine
- Avoid excessive blue light
- Turn lights off a few hours before bed
- Get plenty of sun during the day
- Go to bed when you’re tired
- Avoid stimulating shows/movies before bed
When it comes to enhancing sleep quality, the NHS recommends that adults aim for 7–9 hours a night. Effective tips for better sleep include avoiding sleep medication and alcohol, both of which can negatively impact sleep quality.
Instead, Dr Berg suggests certain nutrients for improved slumber: “Magnesium, vitamin D, and zinc are the most important nutrients for sleep. A microbe called L reuteri can help boost oxytocin and serotonin and improve sleep. Sodium is also vital for restful sleep.”
Magnesium may help you relax and fall asleep faster by affecting your nervous system and hormone levels. It might also help with restless legs syndrome (RLS). Always speak to your doctor first before taking any new medication.
