Sleep Deprivation
- posted: Jul. 27, 2022
Sleep DeprivationGetting an 8-hours night sleep is usually the human goal to get, but of course, there are occasions where you don’t for various reasons. Maybe it’s stress, anxiety of starting a new job, a newborn or you had too much caffeine. So you play it off as a one-off night’s sleep and it won’t happen again the next day. But when it rolls into a nightly thing is when it becomes a problem. Your day-to-day life tends to suffer: your work performance, sports performance, mood, balance, lack of alertness and more. Below are some symptoms, causes, as well as ways to help get those zzz’s back on track:
Symptoms:
- Mood swings (not just hormone related)
- Extreme, chronic fatigue
- Unable to retain new information
- Forgetfulness
- Lack of attention
- Off-balance
- Increased food consumption
Common Causes:
- Accumulating sleep debt
- Going to bed late and waking up early daily or often
- Frequently tossing and turning
- Never reaching full REM
- Medical issues; depression, sleep apnea, hormone, autoimmune
Effects & Impact:
- Weakens the immune system and unable to fight off illness
- Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
- Increased stress
- Decreased alertness
- Decreased hormone production in men and women
- Weight gain
- Depression, anxiety, and paranoia
- Increased blood pressure and sugar levels
Helpful Treatments:
- Relaxation and meditation
- Lessen daily stimulation
- OTC medication
- Keep a night-time routine
- Keep a daily schedule: wake and sleep at the same time everyday
- Turn off electronics about 30 min. before bed
- Read
- Keep room dark, cool and quiet
- Eat at least 2-3 hours before bedtime
- Weighted blanket
- Magnesium supplements
- Essential Oils & Diffusers (Lavender!)
