I’ve always wondered what the effects of not getting enough sleep would have on my day to day life. Growing up, I was told to sleep so I could grow and be well rested for the next day, but no one really explained what could happen if I didn’t sleep enough (you know, other than staying little forever). So I began to research the signs of sleep deprivation, which is where I discovered I’ve experienced sleep deprivation! Let’s take a look at some key signs of sleep deprivation, because maybe you too have been sleep deprived and don’t even know it!

Frequent Hunger

​Have you ever found yourself hungry throughout the day even though you’ve eaten your spam and eggs for breakfast AND had a hefty lunch? Well I have! I’m famous for snacking throughout the day, however at one point in time I found myself constantly hungry and craving junk food. And now I know why. When you don’t get the sleep your body needs to reserve energy, your brain sends signals to eat more to gain energy from food rather than from sleep. Your body increases its production of the hunger hormone Ghrelin, which when over produced, makes you crave fatty foods and sugary treats. So just say no to junk food, and yes to sleep!

Weight Gain

​When you’re tired, you tend to not be as careful about what you eat. When you combine that with the increased production of the hunger hormone, it can be a dangerous combination! You’ll find yourself eating more than necessary to satisfy your brain’s needs from lack of sleep – resulting in gaining unwanted weight. It’s a ripple effect that can easily be avoided by just getting enough shut-eye!

Heightened Emotions

A few weeks ago I found myself to be very emotional. Usually, I’m very easy going when it comes to interacting with different types of personalities, but during that time, I just found myself on an emotional roller coaster.  I was wondering what was gong on with me and couldn’t figure it out! After I did some research for this post, I realized that I wasn’t getting enough sleep and deducted that I was just emotional at that time because I was tired!

Sleep deprivation can cause anyone to over-react to emotional stimuli. Additionally, studies have shown that over time lack of sleep can contribute to depression.  A 2005 Sleep in America poll showed that people who had less than 6 hours of sleep at night were more prone to depression. (WebMD) Sleep loss can also heighten anxiety, stress, and anger. Being overtly emotional is no fun, so get that rest your body needs!

Getting Sick Often

​So maybe you’ve been wondering why you keep getting sick when you’re normally a pretty healthy person. Well when you sleep, your body produces proteins called cytokines that help with infections and inflammation. But when sleep deprived, your immune system weakens and there’s a greater chance of getting sick more often. No one likes to get sick, so be sure to tuck in early enough to not let the cold bugs bite!

​Now that we’ve gone over some signs of sleep deprivation, we can see just how important sleep is in our lives –  in more ways than one! It can cause you to always be hungry which then causes you to gain weight. Not getting enough sleep can also throw your emotions out of whack, where you may find yourself extra sensitive to things that usually don’t bother you. Lastly, your immune system may weaken without the proper night’s sleep and cause you to catch more colds. So put yourself first and be mindful that having a proper night’s rest is essential to having a good day every day!

References:

health.com/health/m/gallery/0,,20906153,00.html

webmd.com/sleepdisorders/features/10-results-sleep-loss

Kellie Ancheta is the Sales Manager at SlumberWorld Hilo.  Born and raised in Hilo, she decided to stay and raise her now five-year-old daughter in her hometown.  Kellie also loves fashion, technology, and good food, and hopes to travel the world to experience the two in all different kinds of settings. Here at SlumberWorld, she takes pride in being able to assist each and every client with finding a suitable mattress for that perfect slumber every night.