Sleep deprivation, why is it bad for us?
Everyone’s body is different, but there are recommended sleeping hours based on a person’s age, and you should stick to them or risk all sorts of sleep disorders. Sleep deprivation is linked to chronic health problems that lead us to doctors when they flare up, and we look for the cause in the wrong places. Of course, sleep deprivation can affect irreversible processes in the body, such as long-term sleep disturbances, heart disease, diabetes and mental health conditions, in which case a doctor’s help is essential.
Sleep deprivation affects:
- Distraction, lack of concentration;
- mood changes;
- stress sensitivity, acute reactions;
- anxiety;
- depression;
- fatigue;
- weakened immune system;
- weight gain;
- high blood pressure;
- risk of diabetes;
- heart disease;
- poses a risk of premature death;
- sleep disorders.
Sleep deprivation is very difficult to compensate for, and a 2016 study found that it takes four days of good sleep to replace 1 hour of lost sleep. Therefore, if you sleep too little throughout the working week and hope to make up for the lack of sleep at the weekend, this is not possible, and you may eventually develop serious sleep problems that you may not be able to resolve without professional help.
Causes of poor sleep
Sleep helps us to be healthy, feel well and have a good quality of life, so if you are having trouble sleeping, think about the possible causes:
- Are you getting enough sleep?
- Do you have a sleep rhythm? Do you do this regularly?
- Do you sleep comfortably? Do you get up with a sore back or neck?
- Is the amount of physical activity during the day sufficient?
- Aren’t you overtired?
- Do you drink caffeine 6 hours before bedtime?
- Have you overeaten before going to bed?
- Do you abuse alcohol?
- Do you have sleep apnoea, which stops you breathing steadily during sleep?
- Do you have allergic reactions at night?
- Is the room you sleep in sufficiently ventilated?
- How do you deal with stressful situations? Do they happen often?
- What is your physical and mental state?
- Do you deal with daytime problems at night?
Anyone who has trouble sleeping is looking for a solution to get up every morning refreshed and invigorated. But this requires finding the cause, which needs to be addressed – no medication will do this and will not ensure a long-lasting restful sleep, it can be a band-aid, a short-term solution.
The Magu Space team suggests a cup of hemp blossom and leaf tea before going to bed to calm you down after the day’s troubles and relax you after stressful situations, so you don’t have to deal with the day’s problems or project the day ahead, and you can enjoy a restful night’s sleep and wake up refreshed, although you must stick to the recommended bedtimes. 😊
Recommended daily sleep time by age:
- From birth to 3 months: 14-17 hours, but let’s remember that newborns, babies and toddlers are all different, and not everyone gets 17 hours of sleep a day.
- 4 to 12 months: 12-16 hours
- 1 to 2 years: 11-14 hours
- 3 to 5 years: 10-13 hours
- 6-12 years: 9-12 hours
- 13 to 18 years: 8-10 hours
- 18 to 60 years: 7 hours or more
- 61-64 years: 7-9 hours
- 65 years and over: 7-8 hours
Read about sleep:
Stages of sleep – what happens in the body when we sleep?