When sleepless nights begin to stack up, the body has a way of letting you know it’s time to get quality shuteye. Here’s how.
Like most people, I have occasional restless nights or evenings when I stay up too late binging my favorite TV show. I pay for it the next day. But it’s nothing too much coffee and an early bedtime can’t fix.
However, when sleep deprivation is consistent, the body steps in to tell us it’s not happy. That’s because sleep is one of the cornerstones of well-being. Slumber offers a respite for your waking self, but the brain and body remain incredibly active.
At night, the brain removes toxins that build up when you’re awake. Sleep also supports the healthy function of neurons in the brain that allow you to take in and learn new information, create memories, and concentrate.
When it comes to physical health, sleep plays a major role in repairing cells, tissues, and blood vessels, regulating blood sugar levels, the immune system’s ability to fight infection, and hormone management. Quality shuteye also significantly decreases the risk of health issues including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and stroke.
Read more: 6 Ways to Recover From a Bad Night of Sleep
Physical Signs You Need More Sleep
So how do you know if lack of sleep is a problem? Beyond feeling groggy in the morning, here are a handful of signs you’re not getting the deep rest you need to live your best, healthiest life.
Intense Emotions
Feeling more anxious than usual? Have extreme emotional reactions to everyday situations or slight annoyances? Because a lack of sleep affects brain function, emotional regulation can be an indicator that you’re not getting sufficient rest.
Fall Asleep Fast
The average person takes about 20 minutes to fall asleep. Of course, this varies. But if you’re drifting off as soon as your head hits the pillow — or in less than 10 minutes — it may be a sign of sleep deprivation.
Low Libido
Testosterone in men and estrogen in women are both hormones that contribute to feeling “in the mood.” Sleep helps keep them stable. So if you notice that your sex drive has plummeted, your hormones may be out of whack due to a shortage of sleep. Men also may experience erectile dysfunction.
Read more: The Best Mattresses for Sex
Always Thirsty
In the wee hours of the morning, when you’re nearing the end of your time in dreamland, the body produces a hormone known as vasopressin, which helps keep you from getting dehydrated. So if you wake up before you reach that window, the timing of this hormone release gets thrown off, making dehydration, and thirst, a signal of sleep deprivation.
Crave Junk Food
Inadequate sleep can cause the hormones that regulate appetites to become unbalanced. When this happens, ghrelin, which increases appetite, gets kicked into overdrive, while leptin, which suppresses it, decreases. As a result, the body craves sweeter, more high-calorie foods more often than when you get enough rest.
Trouble Focusing
Rest allows the brain’s neurons to regroup and take a breather so you can solve problems, store memory, and carry out various cognitive functions throughout the day. The inability to concentrate, a poor attention span, and a decline in reaction time all take a hit when you haven’t had proper sleep.
Read more: How to Combat Sleep Anxiety
How to Get Better Sleep
If sleep is hard to come by, there are ways you can help you drift off and dream until morning. Here are a few tips for getting deep, restful slumber.
Keep a Sleep Diary
Having a record of interruptions, how long it takes you to fall asleep, and other patterns can help determine if there are underlying causes keeping you awake. Store a journal and pen on your bedside so you can easily jot down notes.
Create an Optimal Sleep Environment
A cool bedroom signals to your body it’s time to rest so at night, set the thermostat below 70 degrees. Blackout curtains, a noise machine, a sunrise and sunset lamp, and cozy, breathable bedding are also key elements for an optimal sleep environment.
Read more: How to Create a Sensory-Balanced, Peaceful Bedroom
Turn Off Screens
Blue light from your phone and computer tricks the body into thinking it’s daytime. When you use screens before bedtime, it throws off the production of melatonin, the body’s natural sleep hormone, making it harder to doze off. So as a general rule, turn off any screens about an hour before you go to bed.
Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, and Sugary Foods
Drinking alcohol or caffeine and eating sugary foods too close to when it’s time to retire can set you up for a bad night’s sleep. While it may seem like you conk out quickly after a few glasses of wine, alcohol disturbs your sleep cycles, making for a restless night and a sluggish morning. Meanwhile, caffeine and sugary foods stimulate the brain and release adrenaline, both of which are barriers to rest.
Stay Active
Even light daily activity can help you nod off more consistently. The reason. Exercise reduces stress, which impacts the ability to fall and stay asleep, and regulates sleep-wake cycles in the body so it naturally knows when it’s time to hit the hay.
Talk to a Professional
If lack of sleep is affecting your everyday life, consider seeing a professional. They can help you determine what’s going on and may even perform a sleep study to get to the root of your sleepless nights.
Read more: How to Create a Soothing Bedtime Routine
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