Is lack of sleep making you cranky?
That may be the least of the problems that insufficient sleep can bring.
According to experts, lack of sleep can cause serious threats to your health and well-being. An adult typically needs at least six hours of sleep – and the sleep should reach the deepest levels for it to be beneficial. If not, you can suffer from physical as well as mental and emotional health problems.
Some of the short term and ongoing consequences of lack of sleep include:
- Daytime sleepiness – Drowsiness and inability to stay focused on one task
- Lack of energy – Feeling of physical weakness and low mood
- Anxiety, irritability and depression
- Lack of concentration – Problems with memory, decision making and risk management
- Increased risk of cardiovascular conditions including stroke, heart attack and hypertension
- Increased risk of other life threatening conditions including depression, obesity and diabetes
To avoid such problems, you must take necessary steps to help you overcome the inconsistencies in your sleep patterns. Simple lifestyle changes can enable you to get the deep, relaxing, revitalising sleep you need.
Find out the root cause. Talk to your doctor so you can work on learning the underlying cause of your sleeplessness. Some medical causes of inability to sleep continuously through the night are many and varied, including sleep apnea, heart failure, kidney disease, anxiety and dementia. Acute insomnia is a common reason, and is the result of stress, pressure or exposure to a traumatic event. It’s important to find out the root cause so your doctor can determine the best treatment plan to help you.
Be disciplined about your sleeping habits. Train yourself to go to bed at exactly the same time every night so you can enjoy better sleep. At first, you may most likely be only be tossing and turning but eventually your body will get the message that that hour is time for winding down and relaxation. Likewise, wake up at a set time in the morning each day. The aim is to set your body’s internal clock so your rest, recovery and waking cycle becomes much more regular and predictable.
Invest in an environment that’s conducive for sleeping. Eliminate all the distractions inside the bedroom – bright lights, television, mobile phones, etc. If it’s noisy or too bright outside, invest in colour block and sound absorbing curtains. If there are other people (and animals – pet noise and activity can sometimes disturb sleep) in the house, enlist their help in making sure that you are not to be disturbed when trying to sleep.
Lead a healthy lifestyle. The food you eat, the activities you engaged in, the exercise you committed to, the conversations you engaged in during the day – all these will have a direct effect to how well you will be able to sleep come evening. Eat lots of fruits and vegetable and avoid stimulants such as caffeine and soda to keep your energy levels in check. Exercise and practice stress management techniques to teach your body to relax and let go of the stress inducers in your life.
These lifestyle changes have been proven to help relieve sleep problems without the need to take prescription drugs. Try following the tips listed above and enjoy the positive changes in the consistency and quality of your sleep.