Getting the right amount of sleep at night is crucial to a healthy lifestyle. Without sleep, our physical and mental health suffers. It can be challenging to get through everyday tasks if you’re feeling groggy and tired. If you’re worried you may not be getting enough sleep, look out for these five common signs of sleep deprivation.
Memory Issues
Your sleep schedule will impact your memory. While you sleep, your brain works hard to form connections to process and store memories. If you’re skipping out on sleep, you’re taking away the time your brain has to build these connections, ultimately resulting in poor memory.
Drowsiness
Most people associate their drowsy feelings with a lack of sleep. If you’re only getting a few hours of sleep at night, your body and mind will feel foggy throughout the day, making it difficult to get through your work. It can even make everyday tasks more dangerous, like driving or cooking.
Mood Swings
Are you feeling more emotional than usual lately? If so, stop and ask yourself how much sleep you’ve been getting. Chronic sleep deprivation can heighten mood swings and even increase your likelihood of anxiety and depression.
Weight Gain
Your weight gain could be a result of not getting enough sleep. Without ample sleep, the chemicals in our brains that signal a full feeling don’t work properly. This often results in overindulging, which can lead to weight gain.
Poor Concentration
Without fully recharging your body and brain at night, concentrating on tasks the next day may be a challenge. Zoning out, struggling to be creative, or difficulty paying attention are all a result of tossing and turning the night before.
Getting the right amount of sleep every night is necessary for living a healthy lifestyle. Trouble with memory loss, drowsiness, mood swings, weight gain, or poor concentration are all common signs of sleep deprivation.
