Check out these common signs that indicate that a person is not getting enough sleep.
The National Sleep Foundation suggests that adults get between seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Ensuring that you get the recommended hours of sleep per night can help your body perform at its best. When you are properly rested, you feel better emotionally and physically.1
While you might think that getting less than the recommended number of hours of sleep per night won’t affect you too much, you’d be surprised at how much of an impact that it can have on your well-being. Here are some subtle signs that your poor sleeping habits have caught up with you.
#1 You Can’t Remember Anything
Do you notice when you are tired that you can’t remember where you left your car keys or phone? Poor sleep has been linked with memory loss and forgetfulness. When you are sleep deprived, this makes it very difficult to pay attention to things. If you’re not paying attention to something, you won’t remember it.
#2 You’re Overly Emotional
Have you ever noticed that when you are tired, you get irritated by things that normally don’t bother you? Or maybe you cry at things that are even slightly sad. When you are deprived of sleep, you are more likely to overreact to minor emotional stimuli. This means that you will get worked up very easily over the tiniest things if you don’t get the proper shut-eye each night.
#3 You Have More Breakouts Than Normal
Scientists have found a connection between acne and sleep. The reason for this probably has to do with hormones. When you aren’t sleeping well, it affects your hormonal balance. Hormonal imbalances trigger acne problems. So, if you aren’t sleeping well, you can expect more breakouts.1
#4 Your Skin Doesn’t Look So Good
Research studies have found that people who don’t get enough sleep tend to get more lines, wrinkles, droopiness, and puffiness. Your body repairs itself when you sleep. If you aren’t getting enough ZZZ’s, it will take a toll on your skin. Scientists hypothesize that the body makes collagen, which helps repair the skin, during sleep. Collagen building is impacted if you don’t get enough sleep.2
#5 Weight Gain
Two hormones affect hunger — leptin and ghrelin. When these hormones are not well-controlled, you are more likely to eat when you are not hungry, which can make you gain weight fast. Studies have found that not getting enough sleep impacts these two hormones. In fact, in one study, the less sleep a person got, the more they felt constantly hungry.3
If you notice that you have very many of the signs above, then you might want to consider trying to get more sleep each night to see if that makes a difference.
References:
- https://sleep.org/
- http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20906153,00.html#your-skin-isn’t-looking-good-0
- https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/10/sleep-hunger-deprivation-_n_1659954.html
Here are some things that might keep waking you up at night and ways to deal with them.
While you might think that the key to getting a good night’s rest is to crank down the thermostat, it is not that simple. If you don’t have enough blankets or your bedroom is too cold, it can keep you awake, as well. The optimal temperature for sleep is difficult to say as people differ regarding their comfort with various temperatures. Usually, a range between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit is best for most people. So, if you are waking up shivering in the middle of the night, try setting your thermostat above 65 degrees and see if that makes a difference.
Alcohol is sedating. So, it might initially help you fall asleep. However, alcohol interferes with your REM sleep. This can make your sleep restless and fragmented. The best thing to do is to avoid drinking right before bed. Limit drinks to a couple of hours before bed. Having a glass of wine at an early evening cocktail hour will probably be okay. This will give your body plenty of time to metabolize the alcohol before bedtime.
