What type of things can sleep deprivation cause?
Question:
I know this is probably unhealthy as I have been noticing changes in myself.
Sometimes when I go to sleep at 5am, I wake up at 8am or 9am without feeling sleepy at all. Is that normal?
Can not sleeping affect me much?
Answers:
Do you have other symptoms like racing thoughjts, irritability or times when you feel down and sleep too much?
Have you had your thyroid checked recently?
Sleep is necessary for your body to rejuvenate, your mind to stay sharp and the muscle and organ tissue to regenerate.
You can develop physical and emotional.mental problems with sleep deprivation and it compounds over time.
See a health care provider and get to the bottom of this. It might be hormonal imbalance (ie thyroid) or a mood disorder like anxiety or bipolar disorder.
Get help and the sooner the better. It will be worth it for the peace of mind.
Hope this helps.
Karen
Sleep deprivation can cause anxiety, depression, heart palpitations, and immunosuppression, among other things. Studies have shown that losing just 2 hours of sleep at night can lower your immune resistance by 50%, leading to increased risk of illness and infection.
Different people have different metabolisms, and what might be normal for one person might not be for another. While we normally consider an average adult to need 7-8 hours of sleep a night, some need more and some do just fine on less. The need for sleep seems to decrease with age, for instance--children need much more sleep, elderly adults usually sleep much less. Have your sleeping patterns changed, or is this the norm for you? A sudden change is a warning sign.
The above poster mentioned having your thyroid checked--good suggestion. If that was normal, one of the first things that I would recommend is to check your caffeine consumption. This is usually the culprit for most Americans. Coffee, tea, cola, chocolate, diet aids, etc., are all loaded with caffeine, including Green Tea, which a lot of people are drinking now for health and diet reasons. Also, if you smoke, nicotine could be the cause. Stress and anxiety can be a cause as well as a symptom of insomnia. Sometimes it's hard to tell which came first, the chicken or the egg, so definitely try to destress before bedtime. Exercise during the day can help to relax tense muscles and increase the flow of endorphins which can lift your mood and decrease depression and stress, but exercising in the evening can keep you awake--never exercise after dinner. Eat a light meal at dinnertime, and avoid alcohol after dinner as well.
If all else fails, it may be time for a vacation, to get away from your busy and stressful lifestyle and give yourself a chance to re-establish a routine sleep schedule. Your doctor may be able to help with a prescription sleep aid. Good luck.
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