Please Call Cameron on 0406 451 907

Email : cameron@corehealthcoaching.com.au

Sleep Deprivation: the dangerous effects, how much is best, how to get enough

Sleep deprivation experts recommend regular exercise together, a properly balanced diet and to get at least eight hours of sleep every night to keep our bodies healthy.

Unfortunately, many of us are lacking sufficient sleep and because of this a lot of other health issues pop up.

How much sleep is enough?

We’ve mentioned that you should try to catch at least eight hours of sleep every night. This number however is the average and is therefore not the same for everyone.

You can determine just how much sleep you need based on your age group.

Take a look here:

  • Ages 65-70+ require at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night
  • Ages 26-64 requires around 7 to 9 hours of sleep
  • Ages 18-25 requires at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep
  • Ages 14-17 years require 8-10 hours of sleep
  • Ages I to 2 years require 11 to 14 hours of sleep each day
  • Ages 4 to 11 months require 12 to 15 hours a day
  • 0 months to 3 months requires 14 to 17 hours of sleep per day.

This data is per the National Sleep Foundation. Other factors that can influence the amount of sleep that your body needs include genetic factors, environmental factors as well as overall health.

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation

There are many ways your body could be affected due to a lack of sufficient sleep such as:

Low levels of alertness – Lack of sleep causes your alertness levels to decline. Lacking just 1.5 hours of sleep is enough to cause a significant decline in alertness.

Daytime drowsiness –not having enough shut-eye can cause you to feel drowsy and sleepy during your most productive hours of the day.

Moodiness – sleep deprivation can cause you to feel stressed and moody which may cause you to lash out at other people and get into conflicts. This can affect your relationships.

Poor memory – when you don’t get enough sleep, you may struggle with remembering things and have a hard time processing information.

Road accidents – driving after not getting enough sleep can cause an accident. This is because you are more likely to have a slow reaction time due to drowsiness.

Lowered quality of life – sleep deprivation will cause you to lose motivation in the things that are fun. This may lower the quality of life.

Sleep deprivation can be dangerous

There is evidence that a lack of sleep causes more long-term health issues to our bodies. Examples include stroke, heart attacks, diabetes, or high blood pressure.

You could also put yourself at risk of obesity, depression, and low libido. Furthermore, your immunity may also be impaired.

There are also negative consequences that show on the outside as well as you may start to wrinkle prematurely.

How to overcome sleep deprivation and get enough sleep

There are a few tricks that you can use to ensure that you get enough sleep every night. Adopt these and see your sleep transform!

1.    Schedule your bedtime

It is easy to spend your evening binging on movies which causes you to sleep late. That said, make sure that you set a specific time that you will be going to bed.

2.    Schedule your waking uptime

Similarly, it is possible to sleep late and wake up too early. Schedule a time at which you will be waking up after getting adequate rest and sleep.

3.    Put your gadgets on silent mode

Whether it’s your phone or tablet, ensure that you keep it on silent mode to avoid any distractions when you are asleep.

Final Word

Having too much to do every day may cause us to take sleep for granted, however as we have seen, sleep is an important part of healthy and happier living.

 

Cameron Corish

Cameron Corish has been caring and achieving results for the local Wishart, Mansfield and Mt Gravatt community for over 10 years. Together with the Core Health Coaching Team, he takes a multi-disciplined and holistic approach to health and fitness addressing the physical, mental and emotional aspects of one’s health.  

Ready to feel and look your best?  Come in for a FREE chat and see how we can transform your life.  Call 0406 451 907 or email Cameron at cameron@corehealthcoaching.com.au

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