The Dangers of Chronic Sleep Deprivation: You Might Be Sleep Deprived and Not Even Know It

Weight Loss Programs | | Sep 27, 2022 | Ally's Angels

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Sleep deprivation doesn’t just mean pulling an all-nighter before an exam; it means regularly sleeping fewer hours than your body requires in order to function optimally, both physically and mentally. Sleep studies have found that adults should be getting between seven and nine hours of sleep per night, with about five or six hours being the sweet spot for most people.

If you’re consistently falling below this amount of sleep time, you may find yourself feeling more tired than usual throughout the day, struggling to concentrate on even the simplest tasks and making poor decisions more frequently than you would if you were well rested.

What are the symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation?

Do you always feel tired? Have trouble focusing or paying attention? Get irritable easily?

These are just some of the common symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation. Other signs include difficulty making decisions, lack of motivation, depression, anxiety, loss of sex drive, hormonal imbalance, weight gain or loss, difficulty managing emotions and mood swings. If you suffer from any of these symptoms it is important to talk to your doctor about your sleeping habits.

Lack of sleep can have an effect on all aspects of your life including work performance as well as personal relationships with family and friends. It is important to get quality rest so that we can be more productive at work as well as happy in our personal lives!

The most common signs of chronic sleep deprivation are:

  • Your partner noticing that you’re snoring loudly when they’re sleeping next to you
  • You have difficulty remembering what happened the day before
  • You can’t focus on anything for more than a few minutes at a time
  • You feel restless and irritable all day long

Why do we get tired?

There are a number of reasons why we might experience fatigue or tiredness. For one, we might not be getting enough sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. But sometimes, even if we are getting enough sleep, we can still feel tired during the day.

This can be due to poor sleep quality, medications, jet lag, or working shifts. Other times, our daytime fatigue might be caused by an underlying health condition like anemia, hypothyroidism, or diabetes.

How to measure your personal level of sleep debt

Sleep debt is the difference between the amount of sleep you need and the amount of sleep you actually get. Most people need around eight hours of sleep per night, but some people may need more or less. To find out how much sleep you need, pay attention to how you feel after a full night’s rest. If you wake up feeling rested and refreshed, you’re probably getting enough sleep. But if you wake up feeling tired and groggy, you may be sleep deprived.

How to pay back your sleep debt

There are a few things you can do to start paying back your sleep debt.

  • First, try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. This will help regulate your body’s natural sleep rhythm.
  • Second, cut back on caffeine and alcohol, as these can interfere with sleep.
  • Third, create a relaxing bedtime routine that will signal to your body that it’s time to wind down for the night.
  • Fourth, make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool – all things that promote better sleep.
  • Fifth, limit screen time before bed so you’re not overstimulating your brain right before trying to sleep. Sixth, get regular exercise during the day so you’re tired come bedtime.