Whether you want to believe it or not, whether you agree to it or not, sleep deprivation is a huge deal. Not getting enough hours of sleep regularly is not ok, and the consequences aren’t pretty either. Whether you are staying up late completing a project, doing your homework, helping around the house, or in most cases, just partying hard.

According to CNN, about one in five Americans are sleep deprived. An average person should get at least seven to nine hours of sleep each night, a minimum of six is a must. Sure, not getting enough sleep one day doesn’t change anything, but only getting 3 hours of sleep a night for a whole week definitely can change brain function.

Sleep deprivation can even be life threatening. For instance, people who tend to sleep late and drive a vehicle in the morning are more prone to accidents. In fact, research has proven that drowsy driving is just as dangerous as driving under the influence. People who are sleep deprived are also more likely to go through a wave of emotions, from anger to sadness to self hatred, and even depression. Other things include overthinking, stressing on every task given, and consuming more than a normal amount of alcohol and caffeine. You also feel hungry most of the time.

According to the Huffington Post, sleeping late for just seven days can lead to more than 700 genetic changes in a human, which can also lead to other problems like obesity and heart problems. Sleep deprivation can also cause memory problems, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and hallucinations. Wooh! That is a long list!

According to sleep expert Michael Brues, we should set a bedtime, even though it sometimes seems negotiable, and we should stick to that. In high school it can seem silly to set a bedtime, but even fifty year olds need to set a bedtime. For the human body, it’s not healthy to sleep at different times every day.

Partial blame goes to our schools and teachers for giving us a lot of homework to do each day, but we can’t blame all of it on them. Maybe limiting time on the internet, partying, or watching sports can be compromised, but your sleep can’t.

Getting the required hours of  sleep (7-9) is the best gift you can give yourself and your health.