Are You Too Sleepy?

Most of us spent our early parenting years reminding our kids to get enough sleep. When did we forget to remind ourselves? It must have been some time between breast feeding, juggling kids and a job, and the present day. Maybe it’s time to catch up on that date with Mr. Sandman. As we age, our bodies do not seem to forgive a lack of sleep as well as they did in our younger years.

Are You Starved For Sleep?

The National Institute of Health reminds us about the importance of getting enough sleep. It is not really normal, and healthy, to have that 3PM feeling that we hear about on advertisements for energy drinks. Apparently going without sleep is similar to going without food. Rats, for example, will die if deprived of sleep for a couple of weeks – about the same length of time it would take them to die of starvation.

Junk Food Sleep?

Most of us do not totally go without sleep. We just may have irregular or insufficient sleep, which could be compared to a junk food diet instead of a healthy one. I thing the comparison is pretty valid. I know that a lot of times when I felt like I needed to eat something, what I really needed was a nap. A lack of good food, or sleep, can make us feel lethargic and induce cravings.

Even losing one hour of sleep a night creates a sleep debt. Of course, different people always seem to require different amounts of true sleep every night, but the generally accept norm is about eight hours. If you go to bed and midnight and wake up at seven in the morning, you are going to have to replace that hour of sleep at some point. Do you frequently nap late in the afternoon or after dinner? You could be making up a sleep debt. If you have no time to nap, you could be suffering from some symptoms of sleep deprivation that are hurting your mood and your health.

Do We Need Less Sleep As We Get Older?

It is not true that people need less sleep as they age. What is true is that sleep disruptions may mean they get less sleep. If you have ever watched your teenager stay up for three days in a row, and then make it up over a long week-end, you will probably know what I mean.

Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation

There are some surprising symptoms of sleep deprivation. Some of these may be mistaken for other problems. In fact, a study at the University Of Pennsylvania demonstrated that people are not very good at recognizing these symptoms at all. These can include cognitive impairment, mood disorders, and weight gain.

If you suffer from symptoms of sleep deprivation, and cannot remedy the problem on your own, it is time to visit a doctor.