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Sleeping is one of the most important sources of recovery in our lives. Even a bit of trouble sleeping can have an impact on strength, moods, energy level and concentration. We need at least six to seven hours of sleep a night. Less than four hours or more than ten hours will significantly increase the risk of disease.
Below is a list of what can happen when we don’t get enough sleep or when our sleep quality is poor:
- Lower concentration.
- Harder to make decisions.
- Irritability and frustration increases.
- Body is sluggish.
- Speech is slurred.
- More accidents occur.
- Physical health declines.
- Mental health disorders worsen.
- The aging process may speed up.
Long term sleep deprivation can have serious consequences to your health; physically and mentally. There is diminished critical thinking if a person is sleep deprived, which has a direct link to unhappiness and stress.
Sleeping all the time is just a way to avoid the world and it will be just as hard on your health as getting too little sleep.
The general rule is that 6-7 hours of sleep is necessary – any less and the resulting drowsiness could make you a danger to yourself and others. There are many sleep disorders that can severely interfere with your life, but one of the main blocks to sleep is your stress level.
- Do you get so tired & stressed that you don’t have any energy to care about life?
- Do you keep busy so that you’re exhausted at bed time and yet still can’t sleep?
- Do you huddle in bed watching the night slip into the morning?
- Is your heart overflowing with emptiness and you can’t find peace?
The important thing is to return to your regular sleep schedule as soon as possible. If you can’t sleep, you may want to ask your doctor for a referral to a sleep center.
A sleep center with its specialized testing and trained scientists may be able to give you the relief that you need. Your sleep study results are usually available a few days after your overnight test.
Everyone has had those times of watching the clock, noting with misery how slowly the night is passing. Insomnia is repeated difficulty in falling asleep, staying asleep or feeling tired when it’s time to get up. In the early morning hours when you’re unable to get back to sleep, every worry grows out of proportion. Give yourself permission to step back from the world and recoup. Take time to stop and weep, enjoy a memory, and naturally heal as you move forward.
When to Get Help
- If you continually don’t feel restored after sleep.
- You can’t fall asleep or stay asleep.
- It’s been a problem for several months.
- It’s affecting your moods at work and at home.
- Your physical health is declining.
Prescription medications combined with therapy may provide the best results for controlling chronic insomnia. Medications are best for immediate relief, while therapy may take several weeks or months. Don’t let insomnia become an acceptable part of your life.
Seek medical advice if the problem persists.
