Sleep deprivation is quite common amongst
people in this generation. It is caused when a person is not able to get enough
sleep to function properly without being tired in their everyday lives.
Everything Health requires that a person is able to get the amount of sleep he
or she requires to function to their fullest capabilities.
The amount of sleep a human being requires
depends on person to person. However, an average person should at least get 7
to 8 hours of sleep on a daily basis. Young adults or even adults until the age
of 55- 60 can function well on 5 to 6 hours of sleep as well. However, children
and older people are more vulnerable to sleep deprivation if they do not get to
7 to 8 hours of sleeping time.
It is no doubt that getting enough sleep is
pertinent. The article in the following sections highlights the Sleeping
Problems Causes,
symptoms, and risk factors of sleep deprivation. The article also provides for
measures one can take if they are suffering from sleep deprivation.
Sleep Deprivation Causes
There are many reasons why individuals suffer from
sleep deprivation. The following are a few sleep deprivation causes.
Intentional sleep
deprivation: Intentional
sleep deprivation for various causes such as catching up with work, hanging out
with friends, doing some extra reading.
Depression: Anxious thoughts, which are a common
symptom of depression, can cause sleep deprivation.
Obstructive sleep apnea: It is a sleeping disorder which makes the
person who is asleep feel like they are not breathing anymore, often waking
them up while sleeping.
Hormone imbalances: Hormone imbalances can also cause sleep
deprivation as hormones play a vital role in the proper functioning of the
body.
Other chronic illnesses: Chronic illnesses can also affect the body
in such a way that sleep deprivation could be a symptom of such chronic
illness.
Symptoms Of Sleep Deprivation
There are a lot of symptoms that are associated with a
person who is sleep deprived. Some of the sleep deprivation symptoms are-
- Yawning
- Fatigue
- Moodiness
- Irritability
- Forgetfulness
- Difficulty in grasping new concepts
- Depressed mood
- Inability to concentrate
- Lack of motivation
- Increased appetite
- Clumsiness
- Reduced sex drive
Risk Factors Of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep is very important for the human body. We have
now highlighted the causes and symptoms of sleep deprivation. Now, we look at
the risk factors of sleep deprivation–
Serious health conditions: A person with sleep deprivation could have
serious health issues, especially in relation to the heart and blood pressure.
Obesity: Since sleep deprivation can increase the
appetite of a person, he or she may start to put on weight, which can
ultimately lead to obesity.
Depression: Sleep deprivation can cause a person to
have Anxiety
Attack Symptoms,
which can become a symptom of depression.
Premature aging of the skin: Skin cells repair while a person is
sleeping. Lack of sleep can result in premature aging of the skin.
Increases the chances of
premature death: Since
sleep deprivation causes one or any of the above problems, it increases the
risk of premature death as well.
Sleep Deprivation Treatment
Sleep deprivation treatment is only required in such
cases where the person is physically not able to go to sleep. Therefore, if you
are suffering from sleep deprivation caused intentionally, you will have to
start sleeping on time, and your body clock will start to set itself in
accordance to that.
Medical treatments for sleep deprivation
are-
Relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques involve tensing and
untensing the muscles so as to calm down the body, which will help the body go
to sleep.
Stimulation control: Stimulation control involves controlling
activities prior to bedtime so as to ensure that activities are associated with
going to sleep.
Cognitive Behavioural
Therapy: Such therapy
works in situations where there is a reason as to which a person feels like
they cannot go to sleep. The therapy tries to create reasonable explanations
for such feelings.
Medications: There are plenty of sleeping pills
available for people to use to help them go to sleep. However, they should not
be used until prescribed by a medical professional.
Conclusion
Sleep deprivation is a problem of serious concern and
should not be overlooked. The article has highlighted as to why sleep is
important and how not getting enough sleep can affect a person. Sleep disorders is usually a problem created by a person
for themselves. Therefore the treatment for such sleep deprivation is to have a
change in lifestyle and ensuring early bedtime so that more hours are available
to sleep. However, if the sleep deprivation is because of other physical
problems, one can always look at the treatment techniques as have been
mentioned above.
Related
Article-
No comments:
Post a Comment