Chronic sleep deprivation: symptoms and effects

The modern rhythm of life twists many in the maelstrom of events, affairs and concerns. In order to maintain high competitiveness, a person has to work hard, constantly learn and improve. In addition, we try to devote time to children, elderly parents, and pets. We monitor the condition of the house, performing household duties in the form of washing, cooking, ironing and cleaning. In addition to all this, every day we have a whole bunch of worries, tasks and assignments that should be carried out on time. In these hellish conditions, we try to do everything and take time from sleep. It seems to us that if we do not sleep an hour or two, nothing terrible will happen. However, chronic sleep deprivation is very serious. And although its effects do not appear immediately, the effect of accumulation makes itself felt and in a couple of weeks the body will give the first failure.Today we will talk about lack of sleep - how it manifests itself, why it arises, what its consequences are and how to deal with it.

Symptoms of chronic lack of sleep

Everyone knows the familiar wording - a person should sleep 8 hours a day. But who set these rules? We are all individual and differ in the features of our body. Some get enough sleep in a much shorter period of time (surely you remember Napoleon’s four-hour dream). Others need at least 9-10 hours for full recuperation. Children, sick and pregnant need to sleep more. That is, each person himself knows how much he needs to sleep. First, analyze your daily routine. How much sleep do you usually have if you have enough time? This number of hours is the physiological norm. If you need 9 hours to recover, you will sleep so much and you will not be able to sleep for 10 hours, no matter how hard you try. Therefore, 8-hour nights sooner or later can lead to lack of sleep. How to recognize lack of sleep and distinguish it from, for example, endocrine diseases, because in both cases the symptoms are very similar? Let's try to deal with the signs of lack of sleep.

1. Constant desire to lie down and sleep.And from overwork, you can not fall asleep immediately, even with deadly drowsiness.
2. Distraction, loss of performance and concentration, inability to perform daily duties.
3. Lack of positive emotions, good mood for a long time, apathy, irritability, nervousness.
4. In some cases, with a serious lack of sleep, hallucinations, clouding of consciousness, and deterioration of motor coordination may appear.
5. Chronic lack of sleep often leads to a decrease in immunity and, as a result, exacerbation of chronic diseases, frequent diseases, etc.
6. Lack of sleep slows down the metabolic processes, it can lead to excess weight, even with a constant diet.
7. Lack of sleep leads to decreased appetite.
8. In some cases, swelling of the limbs and face may be observed, dark circles appear under the eyes, and the skin becomes pale.
9. Constant lack of sleep leads to frequent dizziness and headaches.
10. With an acute lack of sleep, gastrointestinal disorders may appear - constipation or diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain.

Chronic lack of sleep is not just a source of the above symptoms, but also completely changes our lives for the worse.We run the risk of losing a job because of non-fulfillment of official duties, we break down on loved ones, we are often ill, we look bad, life seems sad and hateful. But why does this lack of sleep arise and is it always associated with permanent employment?

Causes of chronic lack of sleep

1. Most often, we cut sleep duration due to a large number of cases and work. It is important to understand that you will not earn all the money, and sometimes it is better to choose the second between clean dishes and a healthy full sleep.
2. Another reason for lack of sleep is banal insomnia, when we cannot fall asleep on time, and in the morning we feel overwhelmed. Insomnia can be age related or caused by other diseases.
3. In some cases, sleep problems may result from neurological disorders. If you wake up often and without reason in the middle of the night, do not feel satisfied in the morning, this means that at night the brain does not turn off completely and differs in areas of heightened excitability. Such neurological problems can be caused by stress, overwork, brain concussion, etc.
4. Often we can not sleep on time due to the fact that we overeat at night.
5. It so happens that due to various circumstances a person may confuse day with night. This can happen if you are forced to work at night. In this case, it is impossible to sleep well, day or night.
6. Excitation of the nervous system can occur after drinking alcohol, black tea, cocoa, chocolate. Consumption of these products should be excluded, especially at bedtime.
7. Sometimes chronic sleep deprivation can be the result of an elementary lack of conditions for long and long sleep. Repair from neighbors, stuffy room, restless pets, small children, snoring husband - all this may be the cause of your lack of sleep.

If among the above reasons you have found what prevents you from sleeping, you need to solve the problem. If you have small children, try to get enough sleep in the afternoon with them, ask your grandmothers for help, hire a nanny for half a day, after all. Try to plan rest and work so that you have time for a full sleep at least 8-9 hours a day. Otherwise, chronic lack of sleep can lead to unpleasant consequences.

Consequences of chronic lack of sleep

It would seem, what will happen if you do not get enough sleep on time? Indeed, at first a strong and healthy body will not feel anything and will not change the mode of its work. However, if lack of sleep lasts a long time, day after day, if you do not replenish “sleepy” reserves even on weekends, this can lead to serious consequences. First of all, your well-being and health are suffering. You will feel broken, apathetic, depressed. Nothing will bring you joy. This is fraught with the development of depression.

Over time, the person begins to close, becomes closed. Nervousness and irritability leads to problems in relationships with others. Lack of sleep can be the cause of conflicts with colleagues, friends, children, loved ones. Efficiency also decreases significantly - a person can not concentrate on the main thing, is rude to customers, is not able to work either physically or mentally.

Appearance also suffers greatly. In chronic sleep deprivation, a person looks tired, clogged, and exhausted. Swelling of the eyelids, circles under the eyes, gray complexion, fine wrinkles - all this can not be avoided with lack of sleep.Moreover, health deteriorates, you often get sick, chronic diseases become more acute. Lack of sleep can lead to the development of diabetes, obesity, impotence and heart disease. If you do not want such consequences, you need to learn to rest properly.

How to treat chronic sleep deprivation

Here are some tips and advice to help you get rid of chronic lack of sleep and enjoy a healthy and full sleep.

1. For a start, just get enough sleep. Solve all the problems, leave the children with the grandmother, set aside projects, turn off the phone and just sleep. Close the curtains so that the sunshine will not wake you up. Sleep as much as you want. We can say that this is the first rehabilitation aid in the fight against chronic sleep deprivation.
2. Next, you should set the mode - lie down and get up at the same time. Try to go to bed before midnight - this time is very important for the recovery of the body.
3. In the afternoon, try not to eat fatty and heavy foods, especially at night. It is also worth refusing energy drinks - coffee, tea, etc.
4. Increase physical exertion, move more to disperse the blood through the body and get rid of insomnia.
5. Two hours before bedtime, it is better not to watch TV, not to surf the Internet, or play at a computer. All this affects the body excitingly.
6. Good sex and orgasm will allow you to relax before going to bed - do not lose this opportunity.
7. Before going to bed, it is better to walk in the park, do light exercises, take a relaxing bath with pine oils, light candles, listen to pacifying music.
8. Be sure to ventilate the room before bedtime, the room should be cool air no higher than 25 degrees. Choose a comfortable orthopedic mattress, a soft pillow. Bedding and pajamas should be soft, comfortable, made of natural fabric.
9. Before bedtime, remove from the room a ticking clock, flashing electronic devices — anything that might annoy you.
10. Pregnant women and women need a nap, remember this.
11. Another necessary condition for a healthy and restful sleep is emotional satisfaction and tranquility. Do not quarrel with anyone before bedtime, forgive everyone, do not solve important issues. Try to protect yourself from restless thoughts.

And further. Use the bed only for sleeping.You do not need to read it, play with the child, just lie down. And then she will be associated with sleep, and you will instantly fall asleep as soon as you lie down in a cozy bed.

Healthy sleep is very important for the human nervous system. Without food, a person can last 2-3 months. 10 days will not live without water. But without sleep, a person's life will stop in 3-4 days. It speaks of the true value of sleep. Sleep enough time to maintain health and beauty for many years!

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