Adults are supposed to get six to nine hours of sleep everyday but most often, we are busy working, going out of town or simply watching a new TV series. Missing on sleep for a day will not hurt you except the next day but a regular habit of missing on sleep can lead to an increased risks of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and obesity. But don’t worry, your body will tell when it needs to rest. Look out for these 10 signs that say you are not getting enough sleep.
#1. Being tired all the time
One of the major signs of sleep deprivation is fatigue and being tired throughout the day. If you are an otherwise healthy person and find yourself tired or sleepy most of the time during day, then you need to fix your schedule.
#2. Not thinking clearly
A lack of sleep affects your brain in ways more than one. It also impairs your decisions making. People who are sleep deprived have a slow response rate to solving problems and making decisions with accuracy.
#3. You are constantly hungry
If you don’t sleep enough, you are likely to experience a hormonal imbalance of ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin is the hormone that makes you hungry and it is produced more than leptin, the hormone responsible for making you feel full. As a result, you will be binging on certain kinds of foods especially sweets.
#4. Weight Gain
Where will all that excess food go? As you eat more, you will also gain weight. This accompanied by a slow metabolism rate due to sleep deprivation can pack on pounds to your body.
#5. Irritability and moody
If you find yourself putting people off and getting irritated at the slightest of things, then you need to squeeze in a few more hours in your daily sleep. Sleep deprivation can make people irritable, moody and grouchy. It can also lead to angry outbursts, fatigue, confusion and worsen depression if you already suffer from it.
#6. Trouble finding the right words
The frontal lobe of the brain which is associated with speech is affected by sleep deprivation. So when you don’t sleep enough, you will find yourself looking for the right words or a slurred speech.
#7. More impulsive
Sleep deprivation affects your brain’s prefrontal cortex. This is the area responsible for impulse control, judgement, attention and visual association. A lack of sleep will lead to poor judgement and a low impulse control. Which is why you might end up buying things you don’t need, binging on carbs or anything you would normally be able to control.
#8. Falling asleep immediately
Before you say that it is cause you are good sleeper, consider the opposite scenario. According to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, if you are regularly falling asleep within 5 minutes of lying down, you may have sleep deprivation or even a sleep disorder.
#9. Low sex drive
Sleep deprivation can severely impact your libido due to low energy levels and increases stress and tensions. In fact, men who suffer from sleep apnea also have low testosterone levels. So have a good night’s sleep to keep things working in the bedroom.
#10. Forgetful
Forgot where did you keep the keys? Or the new co-workers name? A lack of sleep is distorting your memory. When you sleep, your brain consolidates memory and processes emotions. Sleep deprivation makes it difficult to put memories into context and thus it is difficult to recall them.