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Are you getting enough sleep?
How much sleep do you really need? In general, most adults need about 7 hours of sleep per night. Children and adolescents need even more - around 9 or 10 hours per night. However, the amount of sleep people need varies widely, ranging from 5 to 10 hours per night. The important thing is to find out how much sleep you need to stay healthy and alert, and then try to get this amount of sleep each night.
The right amount of sleep is the amount that lets you wake up feeling refreshed and well. You may be able to function on the amount of sleep you are getting now, but it still may not be enough for you to reach your full potential. Here's how to tell if you're not getting enough sleep:
- You need an alarm clock to wake up.
- You sleep longer and better on weekends.
- You have trouble getting out of bed in the morning.
- You feel tired during the day.
- You have bags or dark circles under your eyes.
- You doze off while sitting in a public place, such as a movie theatre or meeting.
- You get drowsy while driving.
- You have trouble concentrating.
- You have early morning headaches.
If you notice any of these signs, you may not be getting enough sleep. Try to gradually increase the amount of sleep you get each night until you find the right amount - you'll know that you've got it when these signs start to go away. If you haven't been getting enough sleep for a long time, it may take a while to recover. If you've tried everything and still have trouble getting a good night's sleep, talk to your doctor. You may have a sleep disorder.
Some people choose to "get away" with less sleep, and this attitude is often rewarded in our society. But lack of sleep can actually make you less productive, even if you feel as though you're getting more done. And sleep deprivation can do much more than hurt your productivity - it can damage your health as well.
Sleep helps your body to repair itself. It also helps your mind absorb and "file" the day's learning. When we deprive ourselves of sleep, we notice the effects both mentally and physically. In the short term, these effects include:
- fatigue
- irritability
- careless mistakes
- difficulty concentrating
- slower reaction times
- increased stress
These short-term effects can affect our relationships, our performance at work or school, and our ability to enjoy life. They may even increase the risk of injury and accidents at work or on the road.
After only a few days of sleep deprivation, the body undergoes changes similar to "fast-forward" aging: memory loss, metabolism problems (with sugar and hormones), and poor athletic performance. If sleep deprivation continues over the long term, it increases the risk of more serious health problems, such as:
- a weakened immune system
- diabetes (the body cannot process sugar properly)
- depression
- high blood pressure
- obesity
The good news is that you can prevent these long-term problems by recognizing the early signs that you aren't getting enough sleep, and increasing the amount of sleep you're getting until you feel well rested. But remember: the greater the "sleep debt" that you have, the longer it will take to recover.
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