The average adult needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night. But there are a lot of environmental factors that can determine each individual’s required sleep schedule. Even if you don’t think you are suffering from a lack of sleep, your body might be trying to tell you otherwise. That’s why our sleep doctor in NYC meets with all patients on an individual basis to determine the status of their sleep health. Let’s look at six signs you are suffering from sleep deprivation.
6 Signs You Are Suffering From Sleep Deprivation
If you are stressed from work, school, or general life, you may be getting a lack of sleep. Keep reading as we highlight the 6 biggest signs you are suffering from sleep deprivation and find out how to seek proper treatment so you can get your healthy sleep schedule back on track!
1. You’re Not Motivated
If you are tired all the time, it is probably pretty difficult to focus on your daily tasks. Your brain just doesn’t have the energy to stay motivated, especially not over long periods of time. You may also be choosing smaller tasks with more immediate rewards rather than dedicating yourself to bigger projects that promise long-term rewards.
2. You Don’t Feel Like Yourself
Healthy people practice healthy behaviors. If you haven’t been feeling happy and you find yourself acting irritable every day, you could be struggling with major sleep deprivation. This often comes paired with feelings of loneliness, depression, and annoyance at yourself. Don’t wait for this to get worse and worse; visit your sleep doctor for a breath of fresh air today.
3. You Fight With Others
On top of being irritable, you may take that annoyance out on others. A recent study showed that lack of sleep leads to social inabilities. For example, being tired makes one less able to decipher the expression on another person’s face. You may find that you are starting fights or getting into arguments for no good reason. If you struggle to find empathy like you used to, it could be because your body is getting a lack of sleep.
4. You Feel Impulsive
Sleep-deprived people run the risk of acting impulsively, making rash decisions, and engaging in activities that they might not have thought about all the way through. Once this behavior starts, it can become increasingly difficult to stop. This impulsivity can lead you to send a message or have a conversation you might later regret. It’s important to stop this cycle before it ruins your life.
5. You Feel Upset All the Time
If you feel just downright frustrated and angry, your brain doesn’t have the space nor the capacity to retain new information. Let alone, your brain can’t distinguish between important and insignificant information. This can cause you to focus on the negative, contributing to that spiral of depression and anxiety that all can stem from shortened sleeping hours at night. If you are especially tense and your loved ones have noticed that you are upset all the time, it’s definitely time to visit your doctor.
6. You Can’t Remember Things
Sleep deprivation takes a very serious toll on your mind and your brain as a whole. You are likely to retain less information that your brain just can’t hold onto for very long. You might lose your memory more quickly or forget details of something that happened just recently. All of these symptoms are highly indicative of lack of sleep and should be assessed by a certified sleep doctor right away.
Make Sure You Get Enough Sleep ASAP
If you don’t sleep well, visit your doctor right away. Sleep deprivation can cause some very serious side effects on the body, including loss of memory and an increase in negative emotional responses. If you are stressed and sleepless, visit your sleep deprivation doctor in New York City right away. Schedule a personal consultation and get your sleep health back on the right track today!
