Have you ever wondered if you were sleep deprived?
Have you ever experienced any of the signs your sleep deprived? If so, read this article on 10 Signs Your Sleep Deprived to learn everything you need to know about the subject.
1- You are Constantly Cranky
Studies have shown that the more tired you are, the more irritable you will become. Less sleep means you are less equipped to handle stress which can lead to moodiness, and crankiness. Let this go on for too long and it can even lead to anxiety or depression.
2- As Soon as Your Head Hits the Pillow – You Knock Out
Many chalk this up to being a “good sleeper,” but if as soon as you put your head to the pillow you knock out; you definitely need more sleep. According to the Institute of Neurological Sleep Disorders and Stroke, if you fall asleep within five minutes of lying down, you are probably suffering from severe sleep deprivation.
3- More Impulsive Than Usual
Have you noticed you are far more impulsive than normal? This can link to lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation also affects the prefrontal cortex of the brain. Which also controls judgement and impulse control. If you are acting impulsively, making poor eating decisions, buying things without consequences, or irritable with others; it may be because of sleep.
4- You’re Gaining Weight
If you’ve gained weight recently this could be one of the signs your sleep deprived. According to studies if you get fewer than six hours of sleep a night, you are more likely to gain weight. Your body is looking for other ways to help you feel more awake; and eating fatty foods is one of them. When your body feels out of whack from sleep deprivation you crave fried foods and sweets throughout the day. Also, recently researchers have found that lack of sleep can lead to develop Type 2 diabetes.
5- You Don’t Look Your Best
News flash: beauty sleep is a real thing. Without it annoying conditions pop up like puffy eyes, dark circles, dull skin, breakouts, and turned-down corners around the mouth. Your skin works to repair itself while you are sleeping, and when it’s deprived of that time your collagen breaks down. People can usually tell if you’ve had a rough night, and sleep deprivation is almost impossible to hide in your appearance.
6- Lately You’re Always Sick
A 2009 study found that people who sleep fewer than seven hours each night have almost three times the risk of catching a cold than people who slept for at least eight. Sleep is essential for a properly functioning immune system because that’s the time it makes substances called cytokines, which are proteins that fight inflammation and disease-causing organisms.
7- You’ve Read This Sentence Twice
Concentrating has become extremely difficult, and you zone out on a daily basis. It’s hard to focus on the smallest task – like reading an article on sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep also impairs you to make split-second decisions according to many studies. These are the split decisions that come in hand for instance when driving and avoiding getting into an accident.
8- You’ve Become Clumsy
Not getting enough sleep can cause issues with your motor skills, and stumbling or falling happens more frequently. If you’re so tired that you can’t even focus on where you are going you definitely need to get more sleep. A 1997 study even found that a person who has gone a night without sleep lacks in hand-eye coordination in the morning as someone who we consider legally drunk.
9- You Can’t Control Your Emotions
One of the signs your sleep deprived is an inability to control your emotions. Harvard Medical School found that a good night’s sleep promotes emotional resilience. On the other hand, lack of sleep leads to emotional vulnerability. A 2007 study also found that sleep-deprived brains were 60 percent more reactive to negative and disturbing images.” So basically if your emotions are out of whack, and you find yourself crying at a stupid commercial, you probably need to get more sleep.
10- Lack of Sex
Sleep deprivation can definitely affect one’s sex life. A study found that sleep deprivation can lower men’s testosterone levels. Which then lowers their interest to be intimate with their partner. Also it’s hard to find time to have sex when as soon as your head hits the pillow, you’re out like a light.
