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Do you feel like you constantly struggle to get enough sleep? It’s not just you. According to the experts, many adults in the U.S. struggle with lack of sleep side effects on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, a lack of sleep is known to have some pretty negative side effects. If you find that you struggle to fall asleep at night but still have trouble waking up in the morning, it’s likely that you are suffering from insomnia or another sleep disorder.
However, if your problem is that you simply can’t fall asleep often enough during the week, there may be some other factors at play.
Let’s take a look at some of the side effects of not getting enough sleep and what you can do about it!
One of the first signs of a lack of sleep is often a depressed mood. You might notice that you frequently feel sad or depressed, it’s important to consider if a lack of sleep plays a part.
If you struggle to fall asleep each night, you are more likely to experience feelings of depression.
If this continues for an extended period of time, you may develop a more serious disorder, such as major depression.
Similarly, if you suffer from anxiety, this may be exacerbated by a lack of sleep. Anxiety is often described as a feeling of worry that won’t go away.
If you find that you frequently feel anxious and stressed, it’s possible that a lack of sleep is playing a part.
You may find that you are having trouble remembering things, it may be due to a lack of sleep. When we sleep, our brains process and store new information.
If you don’t get enough sleep, you are far more likely to have trouble remembering new information.
This can have a significant impact on your work and school life, since you are less likely to remember the information you need to perform well.
Your long-term memory is also likely to suffer if you don’t get enough sleep.
If you have a history of insomnia, you are at risk of permanently impairing your long-term memory due to the effects it has on your brain.
If you are struggling with sleep on a consistent basis, you are more likely to experience digestive issues.
If you find that your digestion is particularly sluggish, it’s a good idea to consider if lack of sleep is to blame.
Your diet will have a significant impact on your ability to fall asleep. If your diet is high in processed carbohydrates, sugar, and fat, you are more likely to have digestive problems.
This can in turn lead to sleep issues. If you don’t sleep well, your body has a harder time absorbing nutrients from the food you eat.
As a result, you are far more likely to experience digestive issues, such as bloating and constipation.
Healthy muscles are essential for staying active and living a healthy life. However, when you don’t get enough sleep, your muscles are likely to atrophy, meaning that they lose their strength and tone.
If you don’t get enough sleep, your muscles are likely to reduce in size and become weaker due to a lack of protein.
This can lead to serious joint pain as your joints are forced to carry more of your body’s weight.
You may also find that you feel more lethargic throughout the day. This can make it harder to get through your day and be active.
A lack of sleep can significantly increase your risk of accidents. If you drive while you are tired, you are at risk of getting into an accident.
If you are sleepy behind the wheel, your reaction times are slowed and your ability to drive safely is reduced.
While drowsy driving is a significant problem, it’s also important to remember that falling asleep while doing other things can be just as dangerous.
If you work at a demanding job, it can be easy to fall into the trap of working too many hours without enough time for rest.
This can significantly increase your risk of accidents at work. If you are studying or have small children at home, you are also likely to be sleep-deprived.
This can increase your risk of accidents and put those around you at risk.
If you don’t get enough sleep on a consistent basis, your mood is likely to suffer as a result.
When we sleep, the parts of our brains responsible for regulating our mood and emotions shut down to help us sleep undisturbed.
When you don’t sleep enough, your ability to regulate your mood is reduced.
If you frequently suffer from insomnia, it may be due to an underlying mental health issue, such as depression.
If you are struggling with sleep, you may want to visit your doctor to discuss any medications or treatments that might help.
A lack of sleep can speed up your metabolism, which can help you lose weight. However, it can also slow down the rate at which your body breaks down fats and sugars.
This can lead to weight gain over time. If you sleep for six hours or less each night, you are at risk of increased levels of cortisol.
This is a hormone that breaks down muscle mass, fat, and sugars. If cortisol is present in your system for too long, it can lead to muscle wasting, weight gain, and sugar cravings.
If you sleep for eight hours or more each night, your body breaks down fat as a source of fuel. This can help you lose weight and stay healthy.
A lack of sleep can cause you to feel hungrier than normal. This is caused by melatonin, a hormone that is released when you sleep.
If you don’t get enough sleep, you will have lower levels of melatonin in your system, making you feel hungrier.
You may also find it harder to make healthy choices when you are tired. This means that you are more likely to eat foods that are high in sugar and fat.
If you are sleepy and hungry, it is likely that you will reach for high-carbohydrate or sugary snacks. These foods won’t help you to feel full or keep your weight in check.
A lack of sleep is likely to cause a variety of issues in your life due to its impact on your mind and body.
If you are not getting enough sleep, it can be important to make a plan to help yourself fall asleep more easily. If you have insomnia, there are a variety of things that you can try to help you get the rest you need.
You may want to consider changing your diet, taking melatonin, or finding ways to de-stress at the end of each day.