Sleeping is like battery recharge; lack of sleep will ruin the recharge of your bodies vital energies, e.g. the immune system, stress resistance, mental capacities like your memory.
because of the negative feed mechanisms between inhibitory and excitatory transsmitters, GABA elevation in the sleep will decrease catecholamines and minimize stress as a whole. It needs long discussion. See
Article A negative feedback mechanism between brain catecholamines a...
Our (I mean here all organisms) cellular system is not a perpetual machine, and need constant rebooting. As we are adapted to life driven by the solar cycle, our circadian (day-night) behaviour should be maintained. Disturbance in this biological clock can have serious health effects.
Let,s say for humans. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society advocates that infants of below 1 year of age need 12 to 16 hours to sleep, children 1 to 2 years of age 11 to 14 hours, 3 to 5 years of age 10 to 13 hours, 6 to 12 years of age 9 to 12, teenagers 13 to 18 years of age 8 to 10 hours, and adults need 7 to 9 hours of regular sleep in 24 hours for optimal health. There is a firm medical record that a sleep deficit of less than 7 hours per night on a regular basis is associated obesity, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, depression, impaired immunity and cognition.
It is also important to note that IARC has classified circadian disruption (such as shift work) as Group 2A carcinogen.
Lack of sleep causes hypertension, memory loss and hallucinations, increases body weight, weakens the immune system of the body, increases anxiety and irritation, and also causes constipation.