Sleep is a very integral part of our human lives. I know you hustle so hard to make ends meet, but please make sure your body gets enough sleep. Sleep shuts down the brain and gives it the needed time to heal and repair brain cells. But then as wonderful and powerful as this natural activity is to the human body, it is shocking to realize that most adult humans do not get enough daily sleep. There are several reasons that might cause these realities, but none is still acceptable as far as good health is concerned. Because when you weigh the pros and cons in the long run, you would realize maybe too late that perhaps you should have balanced your work and health by having a little more sleep.

In this article we are going to look at the following;

• What is Sleep Deprivation?
• Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation
• What are the Causes of Sleep Deprivation?
• The Dangers of Not Getting Enough Sleep.
• Ways to help Prevent Sleep Deprivation

WHAT IS SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Sleep deprivation means you’re not getting enough sleep. or you are conscious preventing yourself from getting enough sleep. For most adults, the amount of sleep needed for the best health is 7 to 8 hours each night.

When you get less sleep than that, as many people do, it can eventually lead to many health problems. These can include forgetfulness, being less able to fight off infections, and even mood swings and depression.

It is important to consider the quality, as well as quantity, of sleep. If a person has low-quality sleep, they feel tired the next day, regardless of how many hours they have slept. For a person to be said to be experiencing low-quality sleep, the following factors may have been the cause;

• Waking often during the night
• Breathing difficulties, such as sleep apnea
• An environment that is too hot, cold, or noisy
• An uncomfortable bed

SYMPTOMS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Millions of people daily suffer from sleep deprivation, and it becomes quite important that we ask this question;
how do I know when I or someone is sleep deprived?

A sleep-deprived person would experience the following symptoms;

• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Mood changes
• Difficulty focusing and remembering
• A reduced sex drive

What Are The Causes Of Sleep Deprivation?

Several factors contribute to sleep deprivation, and they are as follows;

• Poor sleep hygiene.
• Lifestyle choices and Work obligations.
• Sleep disorders, and other medical conditions.

Poor sleep hygiene: Sleep deprivation is often driven by voluntary choices that reduce available sleep time. For example, a person who decides to stay up late to binge-watch a TV series may experience acute sleep deprivation. An inconsistent sleep schedule may facilitate these decisions and make them feel less intentional in the moment.

Lifestyle choices and Work obligations: Lifestyle choices and Work obligations are also another common contributors to sleep deprivation. People who work multiple jobs or extended hours may not have enough time for sufficient sleep. Shift workers who have to work through the night may also find it hard to get the amount of sleep that they really need.

Sleep disorders, and other medical conditions: Sleep deficiency may be caused by other sleep disorders or medical conditions. For example, sleep apnea, a breathing disorder that induces dozens of nightly awakenings, may hinder both sleep duration and quality, Diabetic patience may have to wake up several times at night to urinate. Other medical or mental health problems, such as pain or general anxiety disorder, can interfere with the quality and quantity of sleep.

THE DANGERS OF NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP

When the doctor advises you to get enough sleep regularly, it’s for your own benefit because sleep deprivation will affect your health in the short and long term. Sleep deprivation would affect your health negatively in the following ways;

• Lack of alertness: Depriving yourself of sleep for as little as one and a half hours can have an impact on how you feel.
• Excessive daytime drowsiness: Sleep deprivation can make you very drowsy and weak during the day.
• Impaired memory: Sleep deprivation can affect your ability to think properly, remember, and process information.
• Relationship stress: Sleep deprivation will affect your relationship with others and have conflicts with them by making you feel moody and negative.
• Quality of life: You may become less likely to participate in normal daily physical activity or exercise.
• Greater likelihood for car accidents: Drowsy driving accounts for thousands of crashes, injuries and fatalities each year, according to statistics released by the Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria (FRSC).

Other dangers associated with not getting enough sleep

Chronic sleep deprivation can even affect your appearance. Over time, it can lead to premature wrinkling and dark circles under your eyes. There’s also a link between lack of sleep and an increase in the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in your body. Cortisol can break down collagen, the protein that keeps skin smooth. In other words, a lack of sleep could mean more wrinkles and I am not sure you will like to hear such news as a young person.

If you continue operating without enough sleep, you may see more long-term and serious health problems. Some of the most serious potential problems associated with chronic sleep deprivation are; high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure, or stroke. Other potential problems include obesity, depression, reduced immune system function, and lower sex drive.

WAYS TO HELP PREVENT SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Here are some possible and likely solutions for you, if you’re still currently experiencing low-quality sleep. Put the following solutions to practice if you want to start enjoying adequate sleep.

1. Treat getting enough sleep as if it is as important as taking medicine – With our daily busy schedules, we need to schedule adequate time for sleep. So you don’t run into the problem of dealing with sleep deprivation. Never put a good night’s rest at the bottom of your priority list, which is likely to affect your health. Something which you don’t want.
2. Keep a consistent wake time – Wake up at the same time every day, including weekends or days off. Waking at the same time every day actually helps you sleep better at night. A fixed wake time helps build a strong desire for sleep throughout wakefulness. This sleep drive gradually builds, and shortening it by sleeping in will make it harder to fall asleep the next night. Sleeping in on the weekend makes it much more difficult to wake up earlier on Monday morning.It’s also vital to do some relaxing activities, like taking a warm bath or reading a book before bedtime. By making these activities part of your bedtime ritual, you can train yourself to associate these activities with sleep. This association will help you move more easily into slumber.

3. Put away the smartphones and tablets – Electronic devices keep your mind humming — and far from the relaxed state, you need to achieve before bedtime. Doctors would advise you to put away devices like smartphones and tablets at least one hour before bedtime, and that’s a great idea.

4. If you do wake up during the night, avoid looking at the clock – Sleep therapists would say “Don’t look at the clock when you wake up at night, except for emergencies”, the minute you look at that time it’s not just looking at one number. Your mind starts mental calculations, you think about how long it’s been since you’ve been in bed and what you have to do the next day. And before you know it, a long time has passed and that cuts into your sleep time, thereby depriving you of the much-needed sleep.

TAKE HOME ADVICE

In our modern society today, millions of people aren’t getting adequate sleep. They put “sleep” so far down on their priority list because there are so many other things to do; family, personal stuff, and work life. These are the challenges, but then a lot of people need to understand how important getting enough sleep is to their mental health and overall development, they also need to know how to sleep better, as it makes a huge difference.

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