The Dangers of Sleep Deprivation

Not getting enough sleep is not ok. Sleep deprivation can significantly affect your health, performance and safety. There are many causes of sleep deprivation such as the stresses of daily life may intrude on one's ability to sleep well or perhaps one may trade sleep for more work. People may even have medical or mental health conditions that disrupt sleep.

Here are some of the short-term and long-term consequences of sleep deprivation:

• Sleep deprivation induces reduction in performance and alertness. Trading even one hour of sleep for just one night could result in a reduction of daytime alertness by as much as 32%.
• It can impair one's memory and ability to think and process information.
• Shortened attention span
• Loss of motivation
• Increased likelihood of moodiness and bad temper
• Reduced decision making skills
• Slower than normal reaction time
• Impaired immune system
• Headaches
• Muscle aches
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Poor quality of life
• Injury from accidents
• Heart palpitations

Studies have shown that there is an increased mortality risk for those reporting less than six or seven hours per night. Sleep experts recommend good sleep hygiene on a regular basis to maximize your restfulness. Here are a few tips to consider:

• Stick to a regular sleep schedule
• Practice relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation and deep breathing before bedtime
• Improve your sleeping environment in every way you can such as keep it dark and sound-proof

If you're experiencing any sleep problems, contact your doctor at the earliest!