The loss of sleep is a common problem in modern society, affecting many people at someplace in their lives. Sleep deprivation occurs when an individual gets less sleep. People always vary how little sleep is needed to be considered as a sleep-deprived person.
Some people especially the adults are more resistant to the effects of sleep deprivation. Children are also vulnerable to it. The ongoing lack of sleep can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, emotional difficulties, poor job performance and it can even lower the quality of life.
There is no questioning about the importance of sleep and a certain amount of attention is necessary to manage your sleep and prevent sleep deprivation. The main symptom of ongoing sleep loss is excessive daytime sleepiness, but there are many others like-
Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation
- Yawning
- Moodiness
- Depressed Mood
- Clumsiness
- Lack of Motivation
- Forgetfulness
- Difficult to Learn New Concepts
- Irritability
Now that you are clear with the basics of sleep deprivation, let’s see some of the fast facts on sleep deprivation.
- Sleep loss affects the normal functioning of attention and disrupts the environmental input.
- Lack of sleep has been implicated as playing a sufficient role in tragic accidents.
- You start to accumulate a sleep debt if you fail to get proper sleep.
- Sleep deprivation can be a symbol of an undiagnosed sleep disorder or other medical problems.
It was all about sleep deprivation. Now let’s see the top 10 signs that you are shortchanging yourself on your sleep. If any of these sounds familiar, it’s time to make sleep a priority. After all, it is necessary to your well-being as food and water.
10 Signs You Aren’t Getting Enough Sleep
Here are all the signs that you need more sleep and should take a nap immediately.
1. You fall asleep immediately
If putting your head down on a pillow is all that takes to dive you into a deep sleep, then you need more sleep. You might think that you are good at sleeping, but the opposite is true. If you fall asleep within 5 minutes of lying down, you probably have severe sleep deprivation and it can also be a sleep disorder.
2. You Gain Weight
When you get good rest at night, your body can properly control ghrelin and leptin- the hormones that affect how hungry you are. Without them, you may feel to eat more than you need which results in weight gain. A lack of sleep can also have a direct effect on your metabolism. It tends to slow down without proper rest.
A 2012 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that just four and a half hours sleep for four days can reduce your fat cells ability to respond to insulin.
3. You Battle Breakouts
If you are not getting good sleep, your skin may soon show it. Some studies have found a link between the lack of acne and sleep to how sleep control hormones in your body. Sleep deprivation also hurts the immune system, leaving your body open to many other issues.
If you are getting cold, lack of sleep might be the reason. Need a reason why?
In one study, healthy people were injected with the cold virus. Those who have got less than seven hours of sleep each night the week before were three times more likely to develop cold symptoms compared to those who got eight hours or more. So, the difference that an hour makes can be seen here.
4. You Can’t Wake Up Without Coffee
Not a huge surprise- Coffee is your savior if you feel sleepy. But what about when it doesn’t seem to save you at all? If you are tired throughout the day and have trouble waking up after your routine cup, then you didn’t snooze long the night before.
A cup of coffee can make you alert, but in the long term, it can lead to insomnia or anxiety.
5. You Feel Moody
Irritability is a big sign of poor sleep. The result is more stressed, angry, and mentally exhausted people. A study from Harvard Medical School shows a connection between sleep disorders and emotional and mental health issues. “The more tired you are, the more irritable you become”.
You become less equipped to handle stress. And that can lead to anxiety, depression, and other disorders down the road.
6. Your Emotions are All Over a Place
Harvard Medical School has found out that a good night sleep promotes emotional resilience, while lack of sleep leads to emotional vulnerabilities. So, if random things are making you cry, it’s time to evaluate your sleep habits.
“You become over-reactive to emotional stimuli,” Baron says.
So things that normally haven’t gotten you worked up in the past—a tear-jerking movie or big work deadline—may provoke anxiety, sadness, or anger.
7. You have Trouble in Seeing
“When fatigued, you’re not able to control the muscles of the eye as well,” says Steven Shannon, MD, an ophthalmologist in Berkley, Mich.
When you do not sleep properly, it tires out the ciliary muscles of the eye and this result in reading up the things closely. Many have muscle imbalance when their eyes do not see well. A lack of sleep makes the misalignment hard to control, potentially resulting in double vision. You might notice both of these vision problems after one night of poor sleep, but they will persist less time you spend in bed.
8. Your Morning Feel Unpleasant
Waking up with a soar throat, dry mouth or headache could point to a medical reason you are sleeping poorly which lead to sleep apnea, snoring.
If you notice any of the above symptoms, you need to talk to your doctor. She can figure out your problem and give you the proper treatment you need.
9. You are Forgetful
Sleep leads to memory consolidation and emotional processing. Without proper rest, it is harder to form memories. It is harder to put emotional memories and it is more difficult to be thoughtful.
A good example of this is- When you are completely blanked about a new coworker’s name despite hearing it several times, a lack of rest may be messing with your memory.
10. You Do Not Remember Things
If you can’t remember what movie you have watched yesterday or where you put your car keys, then don’t panic! If you go through the same problem as it is not having a serious memory problem, your brain is fine. When you are tired, you are not usually paying attention to what is going on. Getting decent sleep is important for mental health in the long term.
Research from the National Institute of Health showed that sleep helps clear the toxic molecules from the brain. So, not getting enough sleep regularly could impair your brain’s ability to keep the nervous system clear.
Final Thoughts…
If you do not want to be a sleep-deprived person then go through these signs and check whether you are getting enough sleep or not. And if you are not able to get better sleep, then you can refer to a doctor.
So, it’s not good to become a sleep-deprived person. Take the required sleep to keep your body and mind healthy always.