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Sleep Deprivation: How It Affects Your Daily Life and What to Do About It

Sleep is essential to your body, and a lack of it can cause health issues. For this reason, being sleep deprived is a big deal for your body. This post will help you understand the effects of sleep deprivation. Reading this article will let you know how it affects the body and some ways to address sleep deprivation. Don’t let the lack of sleep ruin your health condition.

Various factors can deprive you of a good quality of sleep. That can include poor sleep hygiene, lifestyle choices, work obligations, sleep disorders, and other potential conditions concerning your health. Given these points, you have to address them instead of cope with it. Here are the effects of sleep deprivation on your body.

Various Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Lack of sleep may not seem a big deal, but that is not the case at all. Little did you know that losing sleep can cause a wide range of adverse effects. Aside from that, it can take a toll on different aspects of your body and mind. Below are some effects of lacking sleep:

You experience a change in energy.

In this case, you often feel tired and lethargic, which means you lack the strength to move and perform your duties. That includes when you are at work, home, or school. Moreover, you crave something sweet, caffeine, or naps the whole day.

Lack of sleep can incur mental health problems.

Losing the right amount of sleep leads to mood swings and irritability. Aside from that, you find it hard to deal with and manage stress. As a result, you can become depressed or anxious. The conditions can also worsen, resulting in extreme cases like hallucinations and delirium.

It weakens your immune system.

Your body will find it difficult to defend itself against diseases due to a weak immune system. Lack of sleep can deteriorate it, making you more prone to colds, infections, and many more.

Your brain can become impaired.

The lack of sleep can also have an impact on your brain. Your brain will have reduced creativity and problem-solving skills. Also, it can affect your motor skills, making you at risk for accidents.

Your appearance may change due to a lack of sleep.

It can result in premature skin aging and weight gain. Furthermore, it can also result in acne breakouts. In this case, you can use herbal soap for acne to help clear your skin while addressing your sleep deprivation.

Lack of sleep can increase your risk of developing serious health issues.

Since your immune system is weak, you become vulnerable to many diseases. Some of them are stroke, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers.

These effects are only a few of what you can acquire if you continue losing the amount of sleep you need. What’s worse is that your conditions can worsen over time. Given this point, it is best to address it if you have sleep deprivation.

Ways to Address Sleep Deprivation

You can get yourself out of this sleep problem, and you only have to make a few changes in your lifestyle habits. Below are some ways to put your sleep back on track:

- You should create a bedtime routine and follow a consistent sleep schedule. It is best to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
- You also need to set boundaries in your work and social life. Let them know you prioritize sleep, and you preserve the full time of rest you need every night.
- Manage your stress, and you can see positive effects. Learn how to handle stress healthily to improve your sleep at night.
- Reduce overthinking and calm your anxious mind. To solve this problem, avoid screens, work, and stressful conversations before bedtime.
- Do regular exercises to improve your mood and ease various symptoms of sleeping disorders.
- Avoid caffeine intake four to six hours before bedtime. It is best to watch what you eat because it can disrupt your sleep at night.
- Make your room a comfortable place and easy to fall asleep. Your sleeping environment is a factor you need to improve.
- Seek professional help if you think your sleep disorder is a result of a medical issue. Doctors will provide you with a different way to address the cause.

You have found out how sleep deprivation can affect you. It has various effects that can put your health at risk. On the other hand, this post also shared how to address the condition. The bottom line here is you should not lack the amount of sleep. This way, you can also secure your overall health and prevent the adverse effects of sleep deprivation

Sleep and Cancer: Tips for Fighting Insomnia

Healthy sleep patterns and habits are crucial components of a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately for those dealing with a cancer diagnosis, getting healthy and consistent sleep doesn’t always come easy, and can even continue into survivorship. In fact, sleep problems such as insomnia affect 70 percent of cancer patients as well as 68 percent of cancer survivors.

Cancer patients experience a variety of physical symptoms as well as psychological symptoms. Chronic pain, which affects 75 percent of cancer patients, is persistent pain that lasts longer than three months. It can be brought on by tumors pressing against nerves and organs or can be caused by nerve changes from treatment or surgery. This pain can be super uncomfortable and can interrupt a normal sleep schedule. There’s also a multitude of symptoms that can be brought on by cancer treatment, causing patients to fall into a cycle of inconsistent and uncomfortable sleep.

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In addition to the physical symptoms, many cancer patients and survivors experience mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression and stress which can keep them up at night. According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 15 to 25 percent of cancer patients experience depression. It’s normal for cancer patients to experience intrusive thoughts and feelings like fear of dying, anxiety around money or life plans and even self-esteem issues. All of these changes both emotionally and physically can really take a toll on one’s mental health. When it comes to sleep, it can be difficult to shut these negative thoughts off, leading to an increase in the development of insomnia.

Aside from cancer patients developing sleep problems, there have also been studies exploring how lack of sleep can lead to cancer development. Those with existing medical conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are actually 15 percent more likely to develop cancer than those without. OSA occurs when the muscles in your throat relax when you sleep, causing a temporary pause in your breathing.

Studies have shown that those with jobs that involve shift work are also more susceptible to developing cancer because of the disruption of the body’s normal sleep-wake schedule. Our bodies have a biological clock that controls how we function when we’re awake and when we’re asleep. If this is disrupted, it can cause irregular sleeping schedules. One study found that night shift workers had an elevated risk of certain cancers because of the disruption of their body’s natural 24-hour rhythm. Ultimately this disruption can cause changes to cancer-related genes and increase your risk.

Healthy sleep hygiene is something we should all strive to have. This involves the sleep habits and patterns that contribute to an overall healthy and most importantly consistent sleep. Whether a cancer patient, survivor or anyone looking to improve their sleep hygiene, the following sleep tips in the visual below can help you develop healthy sleep habits that will minimize your risk of developing sleep problems and cancer.

Source: The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com

Author Bio

Corey Doane is a creative writer and content marketer from San Diego. She writes for clients in a wide range of industries from small business and personal finance, to lifestyle and wellness.

How To Improve Your Sleep Schedule

Between your daily responsibilities and your responsibilities as a mother, it can be tough keeping up with it all. Typically, one of the first things mothers sacrifice is their sleep so that they can make enough time to fulfill every need. We understand this lifestyle takes a toll, so let us help you by showing you how to improve your sleep schedule so you can feel as rested and energized as possible.

Schedule a Bedtime and Wake Up Time

Much like how your baby or child has a bedtime, you should also set one for yourself. Keeping a strict bedtime will condition your body to be ready for sleep at that exact time, which will make it easier for you to settle into bed and fall asleep. Similarly, you’ll want to set an alarm and pick an exact wake up time for you to get up on a consistent basis.

On mornings where you have extra time, it may seem like a good idea to try and get some extra sleep. Although tempting, you want to stick to your schedule. Oversleeping will make you feel groggy and just as tired as when you went to bed, whereas having a set wake time will regulate your body to feel energized once you’re up and ready to go.

The Role Diet Plays in Your Sleep

You should strive to eat healthier to improve your sleep schedule. Food is your body’s fuel, so knowing when to eat and what to eat will keep you from accidentally staying up too late. Try to stick to a healthy diet with the right amount of vitamins and minerals.

Fast food may be tempting for its convenience with your busy schedule, but processed junk food is high in sugars and carbohydrates. This will keep your body abuzz when trying to sleep and you’ll likely spend more time twisting and turning throughout the night. On the other hand, you don’t want to go to bed hungry, otherwise your body will be far more concerned with eating than sleeping.

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Learn How To Get Back To Sleep

One of the greatest challenges for some mothers is having to wake up in the middle of the night to tend to their babies and then trying to get back to sleep. If you have trouble going back to sleep, the best way to improve your sleep schedule is by making it about relaxation instead of sleeping. If you focus only on sleeping, you’ll become impatient and fixate on what’s making you uncomfortable. Instead, do a quiet activity for a little while until your body begins to feel worn out once more. Your bed will feel incredible once you get back into it. You can also look into natural sleep aids to help if you’re still struggling with sleeping.

  Author Bio

Christina Duron is a writer living in the Chicagoland area. Her passion for writing and mental health help create thought provoking and engaging pieces and hopes to use them to empower mothers and women to embrace the beauty of motherhood.