Did you know that 67% of Americans say they do not get the recommended 8 hours of sleep our bodies require every day. Sleep is becoming something that we overlook in today’s society. Our jobs are asking for more hours, our days are becoming shorter & we are not valuing sleep nearly enough as-we should. Read below to see the effects on sleep deprivation & our bodies.
What is sleep deprivation?
Our bodies require a set amount of hours to recover from the day before. The most important parts of our bodies happen in our sleep such as:
- Growth
- Heading
- Recharge
- Brain functionality
When our bodies don’t get the correct amount of sleep they need we-will start to get sleep deprivation.
Symptoms & Effects
Sleep deprivation occurs when people do not receive the amount of sleep their bodies need to recharge in a day. If you are not getting the correct amount of sleep then you might experience some symptoms, sleep deprivation starts with very mild symptoms & as you keep denying your body of sleep you will experience more severe experiences. Some mild symptoms may be:
- Yawning
- Nodding head
- Mood swings
- Lack of concentration
- a headache
Severe symptoms of sleep deprivation could include:
- Mood swings
- Confusion
- Seeing things
- hearing things that are not there
When in serious sleep deprivation your mind basically starts to be in REM while you are still awake.
How to avoid sleep deprivation
This may seem obvious but going to sleep at an earlier time would allow your body to get the sleep that it needs! This is not always the easiest method however so it is reasonable if you do not feel you can go to sleep any earlier than you already do. Another way to get more sleep for your body is to start taking naps throughout the day. Naps should be between 15-20 mins in length so the body does not hit REM. If the body hits REM this will cause a cranky sensation while waking up & will have the reverse effect.
We hope these tips will help you sleep better at night!