Signs You Need More Sleep
By Sara Butler
Sleep often gets pushed to the back of the list when it comes to priorities. After all, when you’re really busy, you can always sleep later, right? Wrong. Getting the right amount of sleep per night is important to your overall health and wellness. If you’re not getting enough, then your health can really suffer. How do you know if you’re getting the right amount? Here are a few signs that may mean you need more shut-eye.
You’re Not As Productive As You Once Were
Lost productivity is a huge side effect of not getting enough sleep. That’s because when you’re sleeping at night, your body uses that time to basically give the storage in your brain a good clean out. This process occurs during the deepest stage of sleep at night, which is why when you don’t get to that stage and stay there for long enough, your memory can be impaired, and you can have problems staying focused.
Your Life Feel Chaotic
Sleep helps you to stay centered and organized in your daily life because it allows you to approach the challenges of the day with a good attitude. Irritability due to lack of sleep can make even the smallest hurdles of the day feel like mountains. So, get enough sleep in an effort to regulate your mood and keep a positive attitude all day long.
You’re Always Hungry
Lack of sleep and fatigue can cause you to feel hungry when you’re not and can cause you to crave foods high in salt, fat, and sugar. That’s because the hormone that helps to regulate your appetite and help you feel satisfied after eating is regulated while you sleep. Not getting enough shut-eye can cause these hormones to become imbalanced, leading to eating more unnecessarily during the day because you feel hungry when you shouldn’t. If you want to test whether or not your feelings of hunger are true, then have a glass of water instead of a snack. If you’re still hungry after 15 minutes, then go ahead and reach for a snack -- and get more sleep!
You Fall Asleep Too Fast
You can actually fall asleep too fast for your own good. Most people fall asleep about 15 minutes after laying down. If you’re falling asleep within five minutes of your head hitting the pillow, then it could be a huge red flag that you’re not getting enough sleep at night.
Sleep is important, so take steps to make sure you're getting enough of it!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Monroe, La.