Do You Struggle with Sleep Deprivation?

Sleep deprivation is the result of not having enough sleep. It can manifest as acute or chronic sleep deprivation, and if left untreated, can significantly affect your health, performance, safety and bank account.

What is Sleep Deprivation?

Sleep Deprivation is a sleeping problem - a conclusion of not having enough sleep that manifests from unrecognised sleep disorders and a restricted state of sleep incurred over days, months and even years.

What Causes Sleep Deprivation?

The causes of sleep deprivation can be a varied combination of your daily life, your lifestyle or even an underlying medical condition. So what causes sleep deprivation?

Stresses of daily life
Unbalanced home and work life, working late or trading sleep for play
Working shifts or frequent travelling
Medical or mental health conditions
Sleep disorders such as apnea, snoring and sleep paralysis
Lack of awareness about regular bedtime routines and habits
An uncomfortable sleeping environment such as old mattress, partners disturbances and noise
And sleep gremlins such as drinking coffee, taking stimulants, drugs or worrying can all lead to and cause sleep deprivation over an extended period of time.

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Your quantity of sleep depends on your age, physical activity levels and general health, and all these individual factors differ from person to person. Most adults require a minimum of eight hours, but if you only get six, you forfeit two hours sleep a night. Compound that over five days, you lose over 10 hours sleep!

Lack of sleep can impair your performance resulting in:

Reduced awareness and slower reaction times
Poorer memory and ‘stalling’ or ‘fixating’ on thoughts
Poorer judgement, concentration and increased depression
Shortened attention span, increased moodiness and bad temper
Reduced awareness of environment and situations
Reduced decision making skills and motivation
Reduced work efficiency
And involuntary micro sleeps ranging from a few seconds to minutes

Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation

If you suffer from sleep deprivation or suspect a sleep disorder, get yourself diagnosed and educate yourself, pay attention to your symptoms and get yourself treated to avoid clinical consequences. Common symptoms include:

Grogginess when waking in the morning
Grogginess all day
Constant yawning
Dosing off during periods of inactivity (watching TV or reading)
Poor concentration and mood changes

Left untreated, sleep deprivation can have major consequences on your health and lifestyle, these consequences are:

High blood pressure
Heart attacks, strokes or heart failure
Obesity
Depression, mood disorders and ADD
Mental impairment
Increased risk from accidents
Fetal growth retardation
Disruption of partner’s sleep quality
And poor quality of life

Identify the causes of sleep deprivation, seek medical advice, recognise the signs and symptoms of sleep disorders and the clinical consequences if left untreated. Losing just an hour’s sleep can have negative effects on your mental performance and health.

Keep your sleep disorders at bay with Bed King’s supporting range of mattresses, bedding and bedroom furniture available at www.bedking.co.za

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