We all know that the human brain needs about 7-9 hours of sleep every night. But despite being aware of this fact, we tend to take our sleep habits for granted and pay little attention to this critical aspect of our overall health and well-being. Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to a lot of health hazards including poor immunity, indigestion, risk of heart diseases, weight gain, depression, forgetfulness, and vision disturbances.
Here are some signs that show that you not getting enough sleep:
1 . You Are Hungry All The Time
-When your brain does not get the energy that it would have got from adequate sleep, it tries to get it from food. When you are sleep deprived, your brain makes the gut release the hunger hormone-ghrelin.
-Ghrelin makes you crave for sugar rich and fatty food. Not getting enough sleep also lower the level of Leptin-the hormone which makes you feel full.
2 . You Have Put On Extra Kilos
-Since you tend to eat more due to chronic sleep deprivation, chances are that you will end up gaining some extra kilos. Also, as you feel tired due to lack of sleep, you tend to overindulge in sugary and high calorie foods to help you stay awake.
-Lack of sleep can also have a detrimental effect on your metabolism which tends to slow down due to lack of adequate rest.
3 . You Are Having Trouble Making Decisions
-If you have trouble making decisions at work or in your personal life, it could be a sign of sleep deprivation.
-Sleep deprivation can affect the speed and higher-level cognitive processing. Simply put, it means that your problem solving abilities and time management go for a toss.
4 . You Have A Lowered Sex Drive
-Studies indicate that sleep deprivation decreases libido, mostly due to a lack of energy, but also due to increased levels of stress and tension.
-It is also reported that men who have sleep apnea tend to have lower levels of testosterone.
5 . You Get Stressed About Small Things
-If you find yourself stressing about the smallest of things on a daily basis, blame it on your lack of sleep.
-Experts suggest that maintaining a healthy sleep schedule is essential in keeping your stress levels in check and in improving your mood and mental well-being.
6 . Your Productivity Is Slipping
-Being sleep deprived over a long period of time can have a negative impact on your ability to concentrate, plan efficiently, execute your tasks and even to find the right words while describing your ideas and thoughts.
-You may tend to stay up late at night to finish off your projects on time, but this be counterproductive. Stopping work in time to wind down and get a good night’s sleep is generally the best way to improve productivity. Also, nighttime sleep and dreaming promote new learning, memory consolidation, and greater creativity.
7 . Your Skin Is Ageing Fast
-It is called the “beauty sleep” for a reason. When you sleep, your skin starts the process of repairing the damaged cells.
-Your skin works to repair itself throughout the night and when it’s deprived of that time, your hormones spike and your skin’s collagen breaks down. So, when you do not sleep enough, it can cause acne breakouts and hasten the process of skin ageing.