The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on You

Most people not only love to sleep but they recognize its value in improving our state of mind and our ability to function. Most experts tell us that sleeping between 7 and 9 hours of sleep is good for most of us and will keep our minds and bodies healthy. It keeps everything working properly during the day so we function at our best. Both our bodies and minds need the down time offered to us by sleep.

When proper sleep doesn’t happen, we get sleep deprived. There are several signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation, including poor concentration, poor memory, a bad immune system so that we catch diseases more likely, and poor reflexes that can cause us to have automobile accidents more likely.

Those people who haven’t suffered from sleep deprivation often think of it as a non-serious issue when in fact, it is very serious and there are many complications if you don’t get enough sleep. It is a problem that currently affects millions of people worldwide.

Are you a sufferer of sleep deprivation?

You may not even know you have it but just a couple of poor night’s sleep can send you rapidly toward the signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation. Have some bad nights of sleep on a chronic basis and you may in fact be suffering from severe sleep deprivation.

If you can’t get by without taking a nap sometime during the day or if you’re always yawning all day, you could be a sufferer of sleep deprivation. If you fall asleep at all the wrong times, sleep deprivation could be the problem. If you find yourself unusually nervous about things or are catching more infectious diseases than normal, think about your sleep habits and whether or not they are playing a role in your symptoms.

If all of these things sound like you, you’ll need to rethink your sleep habits. Start by filling out a diary on how many hours of sleep you got per night, how good the sleep was and how good the daytime hours were. Do this for a couple of weeks, paying attention to the hectic aspects of your life style and whether or not you are getting signs of sleep deprivation, like poor memory, poor reflexes or a poor immune system. Remember that sleep is an absolute necessity and not a luxury item.

You then use your diary to figure out how to have the best sleep hygiene

It all begins with having the right bed, the right bedding and the right pillows. It should be a place where you only sleep or have sex and not a place where you read or watch television.

Make sure the room is well ventilated and is of the right temperature. Sometimes sleeping with an open window on a cool night will help you get to sleep. It is better to go to bed on a partially full stomach and not on an empty or full stomach. Eat something a couple of hours before bedtime and then don’t binge before going to bed.

Don’t forget that alcohol is a no-no before bed. It may make you drowsy but it wrecks a good night’s sleep and you will become dehydrated during the night. It doesn’t give you a normal night’s sleep and should not be used as a sleep aid.