Sleep is an important element of well-being. Adults need at least 8 hours’ sleep a day. For many people, sleeping today is a waste of time. Why sleep when you can eat, watch TV or earn money? Sleep has become at best a necessary evil. But lack of sleep can have serious repercussions on your health. After a look at the impact of sleep deprivation, we’d like to offer you a few tips to help you find or regain a normal sleep rhythm.

Why is sleep so important?

The recommendation is 8 hours’ sleep a day. Some people need a lot more or a lot less to feel fit. Sleep duration is different for each person, depending on how they function. In any case, make sure you get enough sleep to avoid the disastrous consequences described below:


In relationships
 A sleep-deprived person shows signs of apathy. He seeks solitude, wants to isolate himself, doesn’t want to engage in conversation. This is the first symptom on waking. The result is irritability throughout the day. He tends to question any notion of exchange until he feels better about himself. What’s more, victims of sleep deprivation are hard to approach. A small-scale study published in the journal SLEEP confirms these latter traits in the subjects concerned. In the professional world, the consequences of such a situation can be even more damaging. Lack of sleep could intoxicate your relationships or lead to inappropriate exchanges. The last thing you want is to think you’ll feel better the next day, because the consequences of sleep deprivation are similar to a vicious circle. Your ambient bad mood will become ingrained in your psychology, fostering negativity, pessimism and anxiety. So it’s important to get to the root of the problem, because you’re not the only one affected.


On your objectivity:
You’ve probably noticed that when you’re sleep-deprived, you’re less focused. It’s a fact that in a state of advanced fatigue, concentration tends to diminish and errors multiply. Under these conditions, it is difficult to make rational decisions and take responsibility for them, or to develop effective reasoning and achieve the objectivity necessary for personal satisfaction. Lack of sleep seriously weakens your powers of concentration and can even cause memory loss. That’s why you can sometimes misplace things after a bad night’s sleep. In concrete terms, lack of sleep weakens the demonstration of self-confidence, hinders personal assertiveness, causes a loss of physical reactivity and increased emotionality, resulting in less objectivity in choices and decisions.


Physiologically:
Lack of sleep also affects your physiological health. The fatigue caused by lack of sleep considerably weakens the immune system. This allows the development of viral illnesses such as colds, and muscular pain (heavy legs, cramps, stiff neck or back). To get rid of these ailments, we then turn to addictive substances that are harmful to the body, but which also remedy fatigue over a short period of time. These include caffeine, theine, glucose and taurine. The dependence that subjects develop on these substances fosters a state of perpetual stress and malaise.

Another immediate consequence of sleep deprivation is a constant feeling of hunger. The body has not had time to recharge its batteries, and is in need of energy. It therefore stimulates sugar consumption because it needs fast sugars. You’ll want to eat sweet foods even though you had a decent meal earlier.

Tips to avoid sleep deprivation

Here are a few practical tips to combat sleep deprivation and get back to a normal sleep rhythm. These are :

  • Eliminate all sources of material distraction To avoid that feeling of withdrawal when you go to bed, get rid of all sources of information at least an hour before you go to bed. Internet, computer, smartphones, video games….turn everything off and instead pick up a book and read. This will free your mind and let your imagination wander instead of keeping your attention focused on one thing. Light sources should also be avoided, as darkness encourages sleep.
  • –
    Good personal hygiene
     Before going to bed, make sure that all the conditions are right for you to get a good night’s rest. This means good quality bedding, from the slat base to the pillows. It’s also worth noting that good body hygiene promotes quality sleep.

  • Practice breathing exercises
     Instead of focusing on your past or future worries, concentrate on your breathing. Take long, deep breaths and exhale just as calmly until sleep catches you.

  • Eat light and exercise
     When it’s time for dinner, don’t overeat and stuff yourself. Eat lightly and just right. After dinner, you can take a short stroll or go for a walk. Good fatigue, linked to physical activity, facilitates sleep.

The consequences of sleep deprivation are a daily concern, but in our busy lives we forget to let our bodies rest. Unfortunately, the problems caused by fatigue lead to psychological and physiological imbalance. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, there are some natural remedies that can help you fall asleep. “The modern tendency to go to bed late and get up very early is nothing less than a time bomb for your health. It’s imperative to act quickly and find the right rhythm.