Notes on: Here’s What Happens When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep

'Here’s What Happens When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep' is an article by Jonathan Alpert and was originally published on thriveglobal.com.

One too many sleepless nights can impact your well-being.

If someone is anxious they may have trouble sleeping and conversely, if someone is sleep deprived, they might be more prone to mood issues such as anxiety and depression. It’s a cycle that begins and ends with you.

Here’s what happens to a sleep deprived person:

• You’ll feel depressed and anxious. People suffering from depression and anxiety commonly show insomnia as a symptom as well. Sleep disorders can also lead to mood issues throughout the day. It is cyclical as poor sleep leads to increases in bad moods and even depression, which makes it difficult to sleep. The good news is that you can treat one or the other and they can both get better.

• You’ll gain weight. The hormone ghrelin tells your brain when you need to eat, when it should stop burning calories and when it should store energy as fat. When you sleep your levels of ghrelin decrease and so people who do not get enough sleep end up with too much ghrelin, which makes the body think it needs more calories, which makes us feel hungry, and the body also stops burning calories as well because it thinks there is a shortage, and this leads to weight gain.

• You’ll develop wrinkles. The stress hormone, cortisol, gets released when you do not get enough sleep, and in large quantities, cortisol breaks down collagen in the skin, which is responsible for its smoothness and elasticity.

• You’ll be forgetful. It is believed that information that is learned during the day is processed in the brain during sleep and without enough sleep this process breaks down and the information is not stored properly.

• Your judgment will be impaired. Reflexes and reaction times are slower when you are tired and it becomes hard to concentrate and stay alert. Tasks that require complex thinking become more difficult and can even lead to a higher risk of accidents and injuries.

Here’s how to get better sleep:

• Go to sleep when you’re tired. If you are struggling to keep your eyes open, that is a clear sign it is time to rest. Much like for infants, if you miss the window to fall asleep, you can get overtired and it can become even more difficult for you to fall asleep later. Rather than fighting the urge, succumb to it, and go to bed when you are tired.

• Don’t go to sleep if you’re not tired. If you go to sleep before you are tried you will find it more difficult and that could lead you to worry that you are not falling asleep when you should. Consistency is important to developing a healthy sleep routine, but do not arbitrarily go to bed at specific time if you are not yet tired, or the worry can keep you awake longer.

• Do a digital detox. Lights, including those generated by our smartphones, hinder sleep and can trick the brain into thinking it should be awake. Make your bedroom a device-free zone close to bedtime, or at least out of reach, so your brain knows there is nothing to check and the urge goes away.

• Get pumping. Being active helps to reduce stress and leads to overall wellness, which will increase your drive for sleep. Even sex is an activity that can help. After an orgasm the hormones prolactin and oxytocin are released, which promote feelings of relaxation and calm.

• Use your bed for sleep and sex only. Establishing a separation between bed activities and wake activities, and try to keep your bed for sex and sleep. Part of a good sleep routine includes shutting off electronic equipment an hour before bedtime, dimming the lights, shutting the blinds, and creating a relaxing environment. The fewer lights that are on, the less likely your mind is to think it needs to be awake and alert.

If you’re anxious about being a poor sleeper, then try to focus on the things you can control. In many cases it’s a fixable issue related to lifestyle. It could be about physical discomfort or stress, whatever the case may be, in order to be our best when we are awake, we need to make sure we are getting the best sleeps.