After a night of little sleep, most of us experience unpleasant side effects such as feeling sluggish, drowsy, irritable, and little energy. We’ve all been there before; when your mind struggles to focus and sloppy mistakes are made. Multiple cups of coffee or energy drinks seem like the only way to make it through the day until you can go back to bed.
The Importance of Sleep
Do you know how much sleep your body needs at night? Do you know what proper sleep can do for your overall health? The amount of sleep you get can impact your emotional balance, productivity, immune function, vitality, brain health, and your weight. When you understand your body’s needs, you can work on a sleep schedule that will help you function at your best during the day.
Sleep requires little effort yet the benefits are endless. However, when life gets busy and the demands are high, it’s hard to get to sleep or get enough quality sleep. Once this cycle starts it’s hard to get out of it, and losing just a little bit of sleep can take a toll on your body. Over time, whether it’s your mood, ability to handle stress or energy level, chronic sleep loss can negatively affect your overall health.
Your Body Requires Quality Sleep
Even though sleeping is also referred to as resting, your body does not shut down. Your brain stays active by maintaining the biological function of your body and preparing you for the next day. This is referred to as restorative sleep, which, without it, you wouldn’t be able to communicate, learn, work or operate at your full potential. When we regularly miss out on sleep or skip maintenance, major physical or mental breakdowns will occur.
Many people don’t realize there is a huge difference between getting the correct amount of rest or just getting enough to get by. It’s not surprising that the average adult gets less than seven hours of sleep each night. (National Institutes of Health) Most adults are lucky to get six or seven hours of sleep in such a demanding and fast-paced world. However, just because you are able to function with six or seven hours of sleep doesn’t mean you should continue to do it. This kind of sleep routine will lead to chronic sleep deprivation.
Everyone requires a different amount of sleep to function at their best, but most adults aged eighteen to sixty-five need about seven to nine hours of sleep each night. The required sleep for children and teens is even more. Varying from newborns needing 14- 17 hrs of sleep, to seventeen-year-olds needing about 8-10 hours of sleep. As for the older adult category, they need about 7-8 hrs of sleep at night. Daytime naps can help seniors get the appropriate amount of sleep when they are not able to sleep long enough at night.
Most Likely You Are Not Getting Enough Quality Sleep
Chances are you are sleep deprived if you are not getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Most people don’t realize they are sleep-deprived and how much it is affecting their lives. Is it possible to be sleep-deprived and not know it? The answer is yes. The signs of sleep deprivation are very subtle. If you are regularly skipping hours of sleep, chances are you don’t even remember what it feels like to be fully alert or wide-awake. It probably feels normal to wake up tired, struggle through afternoon drowsiness, or fall asleep after dinner. The truth is, these are signs of sleep deprivation. Here are a few signs that you may be experiencing sleep deprivation:
- If you require an alarm clock to wake up on time each day
- Have a difficult time getting out of bed every morning
- You are drowsy and sluggish by the afternoon
- Feel sleepy while driving or after a large meal
- If you get drowsy in a warm room, in meetings, or during lectures
- Need a nap to get through the day
- Find yourself falling asleep while relaxing or watching TV at night
- If you fall asleep within 5 minutes of going to bed
- If you need to sleep in on the weekend to catch up on sleep
Get Sleep Help in Coeur d’Alene Idaho Today
Whether you’re wanting to take care of a sleep problem, or just want to feel more productive and emotionally balanced during the day, getting better sleep will help. Sleep deprivation can cause serious health issues and should be addressed sooner than later. If you feel you have tried everything to get better sleep and nothing is working, Just Breathe DDS can help. We not only treat the symptoms associated with sleep problems but more importantly, we do our best to treat some of the possible root causes of the conditions. Our treatment is a short-term process, typically one year, with results that last a lifetime. For more information or to set up a free patient education meeting, please give Just Breathe DDS a call today at (208) 500-3030. We can help get you on your way to quality sleep and a better life!
References
https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/307334#what-people-need
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/sleep-deprivation-and-deficiency