If you're not getting enough sleep, it can impact your mood, energy levels and ability to perform everyday tasks. It can also increase your risk of serious health problems and shorten your lifespan.
You Need Sleep to Stay Healthy
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends adults get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. However, there are many factors that can disrupt your sleep schedule and make it difficult to get the rest you need. Some of these factors include working long hours, staying up late socializing or reading a book, and illnesses such as snoring or a cough that cause frequent waking.
Taking too much caffeine six hours before bedtime can interfere with your sleep, even when you're not actually sleeping well. Similarly, too much exposure to light or noise during the day can interrupt your sleep and prevent you from achieving deep, rejuvenating sleep.
Lack of Sleep Can Impact Your Brain and Mental Health
While it isn't known exactly how sleep impacts the brain, experts know that it plays a critical role in memory consolidation. It also helps the brain focus attention, learn and remember new information, and process information efficiently.
In addition, people with sleep disorders such as insomnia and narcolepsy have a higher chance of developing mental health issues like depression or anxiety.
When your brain is not functioning properly, it's hard to remember and process information, which can lead to poor performance at work or school and problems with relationships. It can also affect your immune system and heart health.
A long-term lack of sleep can cause several health conditions, including high blood pressure and elevated heart rates. These conditions are risk factors for heart attacks and strokes.
Not getting enough sleep can also cause changes in your body's hormones and blood sugar. This can lead to weight gain and a higher risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Younger Americans are more likely to suffer from sleep deprivation than older adults, according to the CDC. Millennials are more likely to say that they don't get enough sleep because they're worried about money, family, jobs or other aspects of life than Gen Xers and Boomers.
If you have concerns about your sleep, talk to your doctor. He or she can determine whether or not you have a sleep disorder and provide treatment recommendations.
Your doctor may suggest a sleep study or polysomnogram, which involves putting you in a sleeping bag and recording your breathing, heart rate and rhythm, and muscle activity. The doctor can also examine your eye movements and brain activity while you're asleep.
The most effective way to combat the effects of sleep deprivation is to avoid sleep-disrupting behaviors and make changes to your sleep environment. Then, you can focus on getting the rest you need to maintain good health.
Teens Need Sleep Too
Nearly 70% of teens don't get the sleep they need to grow and develop, leading to physical and emotional problems. These issues can range from moodiness and recklessness to academic failure and drug use.
We will email this sample to you with pleasure!
Type your email