Are you getting enough sleep? It is a simple enough question, but men and women who do not spend sufficient time in dreamland often experience adverse effects at work or in the home without realizing the cause of their symptoms.
Sleep is essential for your brain to perform efficiently. If you regularly have difficulty getting to sleep, staying asleep or are not sleeping for enough hours, drowsiness might be the least of your worries.
Almost everyone will be afflicted by short term sleeplessness during some point in their lives. High anxiety occasions such as moving house, relationship problems or drastic changes in your surroundings can all contribute to insomnia. While insomnia will not bring about any lasting health issues if experienced for a short period of time, extended sleep deficiency can lead to serious health problems both mentally and physically.
[showmyads] Many people who suffer from sleep disorders or a general sleeplessness have reported the following symptoms:
- lack of energy
- difficulty in focusing their eyesight
- shortness of temper or constantly feeling on edge
- weight gain or weight loss problems
- exhaustion
- Habitual illness
- poor concentration even on easy tasks
- sleep anxiety
- tension headaches
- Below average coordination leading to an increase in accidents or mistakes
It has often been said that people need between 7 to 8 hours of undisturbed sleep each night. While studies have debunked this particular sleep myth, each person still needs to get the required amount of sleep needed for them to function optimally. Failure to meet this requirement can cause you build up a sleep debt. In addition to causing the above symptoms, lack of sleep has also been linked with depression, heart problems and diabetes.
If you suffer from the previously mentioned symptoms then you might very well be experiencing a shortage of sleep. Persons with insomnia can try the following helpful suggestions:
- keep your bedroom as dark and as quiet as possible
- take a relaxing bath before going to bed
- exercise regularly
- avoid caffeine
If you continue to have difficulty sleeping then you should seek the advice of a medical professional. Keeping a journal of any problems with sleep may assist your doctor in deciding the best possible treatment for you.
If you’re having trouble with lack of sleep then take a look at my article on natural sleep aids.
Photo courtesy of Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Related articles
- Tackling insomnia: Six reasons why you might not be sleeping well… and what you can do about them (mirror.co.uk)
- Lack of sleep affects bone health and bone marrow activity (eurekalert.org)
- Lack of Sleep Causes Slower Cognitive Abilities (sott.net)
