Sleep Deprivation Symptoms

These days, most people complain of not getting adequate sleep. On an average, people need 6 to 8 hours of complete rest but most people get less than 7 hours of sleep per night, many getting much less. One of the most obvious sleep deprivation symptoms is the inability to work effectively during the day. Lack of adequate rest is known to hamper our decision-making abilities and concentration. Though many of us feel that we do not get enough sleep, we are not considered sleep deprived if we can function adequately during the day.

The amount of actual sleep we get may not necessarily indicate sleep deprivation. There are people who feel refreshed after just 4 to 5 hours of napping and others who may need more than 8 hours of deep slumber. To find out if you have sleep deprivation symptoms, you have to consider your body’s requirements. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you feel exhausted the whole day?
• Are you unable to concentrate and speak coherently?
• Do you find it difficult to remember latest events?
• Do you keep making avoidable mistakes while driving?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may not be getting enough sleep.

Other sleep deprivation symptoms described by people include body aches, injuring self unconsciously, fatigue and feeling older. You may also check if you are having this problem by going to a secluded spot and trying to rest with closed eyes. If you fall asleep within 10 to 15 minutes, you may need to change your rest patterns.

If we are not rested adequately, our brain fails to function at its optimal level. It spends most of its resources in keeping us awake during the day and is unable to provide new solutions. The memory gets limited and we are unable to think creatively. If sleep deprivation symptoms continue for a long time, it may lead to hallucinations and paranoia.

There are many sleep deprivation symptoms at the physical level too. You may be gaining or losing weight too fast. This happens because lack of slumber prevents the brain and hormones to function properly, leading to over or under eating. People also get highly stressed and irritable and may find faults with everything. In addition, they find it difficult to perform everyday physical tasks because they find them tougher than usual. This happens because of brain's inability to make simple deductions. In addition, good sleep is essential for repair of body's wear and tear and sleep deprivation prevents that.