H How long do you sleep at night? Do you find it easy to fall asleep? Do you often stay up to watch movies? Most of us do not pay much attention to sleep, its quality or quantity but the fact is; sleep is vital for good health.
So what is sleep deprivation and how does it affect our body?
To be short, it means you are not getting enough sleep or you are getting too much yet you wake up tired and not refreshed. You may find yourself falling asleep when you shouldn’t, or needing naps to get through the day. Once in a while, you may sleep less due to work pressure or any other reason, which will make you sleep deficient. But if you sleep inadequately for a long time your body will start giving you signals of sleep deprivation.
What do you feel when you are sleep deprived?
- Lack of concentration
In Children, sleep deprivation manifests a bit different
- Over activity
- Problems paying attention
If you notice, sleep deprivation in children looks very similar to ADD/ADHD. So, is there a connection there? Yes, there is. So pay attention to your kids’ sleeping patterns.
Sleep deprivation may also lead to several other medical conditions such as:
- Diabetes (high sugar)
- Cardiovascular disease (heart problems)
- Neurological issues (affects the brain)
- Loss of muscle recovery after exercise or injury
- Facial changes and an appearance of sadness
Therefore, it is important that along with eating healthy and getting regular exercise, you must also get enough sleep to help your body recover and maintain a balanced metabolism. It is critical not only for your mental and physical health, but also for your quality of life, safety and overall happiness.
How can you get adequate sleep?
Create a sleep routine and make sure that you are sticking to it. Simply by sleeping right you can lower your risk of acquiring several diseases that depend on a good sleep cycle. For those interested, I will be posting a more detailed explanation about the following things on my youtube channel:
- The link between sleep deprivation and ADD/ADHD.
- How sleep deprivation causes higher risk of all the diseases mentioned above.
If you would like tips on how to create healthy sleeping habits and a good sleep routine, contact me. I would be happy to help your body get the Z’s it needs.
To get more info on the diseases lack of sleep can cause, subscribe to my YouTube channel and watch my vlob on sleep part 1 and soon part #2.