We live in a society where everyone has something to prove and success is somehow confused efficiency, and in turn less sleep. There are people who go to sleep at midnight and who wake up at 4:00 a.m., and they are the examples of this society. Following their model, there are many more who want to become successful; therefore, a new culture has been formed in this society, which is the culture of sleep deprivation. Additionally, besides those who deliberately sleep less hours per night, there are also those who can’t get a good night’s sleep, waking up more tired than when they went to sleep. In both cases, there is a single problem, which is called sleep deprivation.
Even if there are some people who believe that they can function properly without much sleep, this is a wrong belief because sleep is actually needed to regenerate certain parts of the body, among which the most important is the brain.
Causes of Sleep Deprivation
One of the most popular causes of sleep deprivation is lack of time, mainly because people feel that they don’t have enough time in order to complete their everyday tasks. On the other hand, there are people who go to sleep at proper hours, yet they don’t get a good night’s sleep. In most of the cases, they don’t even know what is actually disturbing their sleep. One of the causes is the fact that many people wake up in the night without realizing it. Even though some of these wake-ups are normal, the majority will leave you exhausted.
Among other causes, there are pets in bed, alcohol, or medication. Additionally, any mild pain is able to cause serious sleep disorders; therefore, you should treat yourself as soon as possible.
Dangers of Sleep Deprivation
One of the most recurring effects of sleep deprivation is decreased performance during everyday tasks. Additionally, memory will also suffer, while stress will become even more present. Therefore, most people who suffer from sleep deprivation will feel these negative effects. However, the real dangers are diseases, such as heart attack, obesity, stroke, psychiatric problems, etc. Even if these risks don’t feel quite real, with time, they can happen; therefore, they should be avoided. If you feel that you are tired because you are not sleeping well, you should definitely consult a doctor.
Cures for Sleep Deprivation
One way of making sure that you have a good night’s sleep is to sleep in complete darkness. Nowadays, there are too many light sources that induce wrong signals to the brain. Therefore, you should cover your windows and any other light source that might disturb your sleep. There are many people who keep their phones right next to their bed. This is a bad habit since the electrical devices may interrupt the sleep process. The final step is to reserve your bed for sleeping, making sure that it’s the only activity that occurs in bed.
-- Important: The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.
