Sleep Deprivation

By Robert Kokoska

Sleep deprivation is universal and so common. Sleep deprivation affects millions of people allover the world due to the high paced mechanical lifestyle, causing a lack of time to get the sleep we always wanted. Sleep deprivation may also be due to genuine sleep disorders, either due to some psychological problems or chronic insomnia. Most of us are not really taught how to sleep and rest better in our daily life. As a result the total cost in lost man hours, production and precious lives are so huge and often it defies human imagination.

Sleep deprivation means an overall deficiency in the necessary amount of sleep, that a person is supposed to have in a day. Sleep deprivation may occur due to diurnal changes in the mind and body, or also due to extreme insomnia. It may also be artificial, being induced by another person or your own baby. Sleep deprivation is considered very dangerous and very unhealthy and as such must not be tried by any person. However, in some clinical cases of psychology, deprivation of sleep may help patients with mental illness.

Sleep deprivation causes serious changes in body physiology and mental composure; lack of sleep may result in irritability, vision impairment, stuttering speech, momentary loss of reasoning, confusions, hallucination and nausea. A consistent lack of sleep or sleep deprivation may result in a condition known as fatal familial insomnia and chronic dementia. Sleep deprivation also leads to people becoming overweight and obese, and such physical transformation will eventually lead to other medical risks.

Recent research on sleep deprivation has indicated that sleep deprivation shows the same hazardous effects as being in a drunken state. Sleeping for less than 6 hours a night can affect your coordination, judgment, mental alertness and reaction. Sleep deprivation will also lead to muscular deficiencies, when the mind gradually looses its control over the muscle, which ultimately leads to Muscular-skeletal diseases.

Sleep deprivation may occur in cases of college going young adults, when they try hard to wake during night to study for their tests and examinations. A prolonged loss of sleep may result in daytime lethargy and laziness, which eventually leads to poor academic performance. Late night parties and bashes will cause a serious loss in the total sleep budget, as many people invariably get drunk and loose sleep in the process. Sleep is a natural gift provided to maintain a clean body rhythm and accurate biological clock; an intrusion in such a natural rhythm is always undesirable and disadvantageous to our body.

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A Case of Sleep Deprivation

By Julia Barnard

We all have times of sleep interruption and I decided that when it next happened to me I would write down how I felt to fully appreciate the importance of sleep. This is what I found.

For one reason or another, my sleep has been disturbed for the last week. Sometimes it was a late night, or I get to bed on time only to be woken during the night possibly due to noises outside, the cat or my partner. Then there were the nights when I simply just could not get to sleep. Anyhow, all I know is that I’m struggling right now to remember back a week as I am deprived of sleep.

So this is the situation. I have had some sleep. I would say, about 4-5 hours on average for the last week. I need more sleep than this. How do I know this? Because right now this is how I feel:

• I am currently working at half speed. Everything today is taking twice as long as normal.
• My attention span is very low. I keep drifting off. One minute I’m here at the screen typing the next… well… I’m still here physically, but mentally I’m miles away and I wasn’t even aware it had happened.
• My brain feels fuzzy and muddled.
• I cannot concentrate (have I already said that?).
• Very low motivation -- in fact I’m not sure if I have any at all.
• My eyes feel heavy, as does the rest of my body, thinking about it.
• Reading is hard going.
• I have no commitment to any task.
• Even writing this list I am struggling to define my symptoms.
• I feel light headed.
• Oh yeah, also slightly nauseous.

I used to think these symptoms were a hangover -- now I know otherwise!

I have also recorded some behaviours that were out of the ordinary. I probably would have recorded more, but I think I forgot this was part of my task. It was just small stuff. I made myself a coffee and let the coffee pour over the cup, because I had drifted off. Went to check my email -- clicked on ‘new’ instead of ‘send and receive’. I first became aware of it when I saw a new window was open -- “eh? Why’s that there?” Then there was the book I was going through and found myself sat reading the wrong page.

Not that crazy or disturbing, but hardly normal behaviour for me. I am a firm believer in people controlling their lives and personal responsibility. Yet here I am saying, who opened that new email window? Scary to think it made me feel like I wasn’t in control. We worry about drugs and alcohol but I have to say how disconcerting it is to be feeling and behaving like this solely because of not enough sleep.

I am lucky. I did not have to go out anywhere into the world today feeling like this. I think perhaps this is a good thing. Then I think, how many others out there had a disturbed sleep last night?

For now I will end by saying do what you can to get a good night’s sleep because who knows what you may end up doing. If in doubt, try the exercise for yourself; you may be surprised by the results.

Copyright Julia Barnard 2006

Julia Barnard is a professional counsellor living in Adelaide, Australia. She provides an online counselling service through her website http://www.makethechange.com.au. Julia also writes articles for the website aimed at enhancing well-being and promoting good mental health.

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Overcoming Sleep Deprivation - 8 Tips For Getting Great Sleep

By Will Robertson

Today's fast paced world leaves too little time for sleep, making sleep debt a modern epidemic that is stealing health and peace from millions of lives. Sleep debt is the slow accumulation of fatigue based on getting a lot, or just a little, less sleep than you need every night. Over time, sleep debt can cause many health problems including fatigue, depression, memory loss, obesity, high blood pressure, or heart disease.

There are many factors that prevent people from sleeping like chronic pain, sleep apnea, travel, medications, and diet. Among them stress is the most common cause of sleep loss, and fortunately it is usually the easiest to remedy. Just knowing how to get better sleep is sometimes all the medicine you need to help you resolve sleep problems.

8 Tips for Getting Great Sleep

1) Regular Bedtime - Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends and vacations. This will keep your internal clock working in a rhythm, greatly increasing the chances that you will sleep better when you are supposed to.

2) Regular Exercise. Exercise improves sleeping habits. Exercise 5-6 times per week, between twenty to thirty minutes a day. Don't exercise within five hours of bedtime.

3) Don't Lie Awake. Staying in bed when you can't sleep will interrupt your daily sleep rhythm and give you negative emotions to associate with your bed. Get up and do something else until you feel sleepy.

4) Evaluate your mattress. Over 60% of people continue using a mattress after is has loss both comfort and proper support. Replacing your old mattress with a quality bed has been proven to improve sleep.

5) Limit Caffeine , Nicotine , and Alcohol - Avoid nicotine or caffeine for 6 hours before bedtime. They are stimulants and will keep you awake. Alcohol is a sedative, and may make you feel sleepy. But alcohol also creates erratic sleep patterns that disturb a natural sleep rhythm.

6) Don't Eat or Drink Before Bedtime. It takes a lot of energy for your body to digest food. Digestion will disturb your sleep. Drinking fluids before bedtime will make you get up in the night to pee, interrupting sleep. Avoid food and drink for two hours before bedtime.

7) Relaxing Quiet Time - A quiet, peaceful period before bed can help you relax. Taking a warm bath or reading a book can help cue your body that it's time to sleep. Meditation, breathing, and relaxation techniques help many people get ready to sleep.

8) Keep the Bedroom for Two Things. Watching television, reading a book, or listening to music in the bedroom is not recommended. Any bedroom activities, that engage your interest, can create a mental association that pulls you out of sleep. Only use your bedroom for sleep and sex.

People need varying amounts of sleep, from 6 to 10 hours per night. Finding your optimal amount will be a personal journey that is fulfilled when you find that you are waking up with energy and an upbeat outlook. Implementing the 8 tips learned here will help you on the journey to create a satisfying sleep schedule that will improve you long term health and quality of life.

Will Robertson is owner of MyLuxuryMattress.com, a specialty sleep shop featuring luxury bedding, latex and memory foam mattresses. Will answers his customers frequently asked luxury bedding questions at MyLuxuryMattress.com/Blog

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Sleep Deprivation And Depression - How To Get Better Sleep

By Spencer Hunt

The Effects Of Sleep Deprivation

If you suffer from Sleep Deprivation, Low Energy, Jet lag, Sleep Apnea, Restless Leg Syndrome, Narcolepsy, depression, or Insominia, you need to read this report!

In America alone, Insomnia is a problem for over 70 million people. Reports say that over $50 million is spent every year on caffeine capsules to stay alert during the day, and nearly $100 million spent on over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids every year. That is depressing!

Insomnia is not a disease, but sleep deprivation is serious. This can affect a persons energy level, emotional state, memory and mental abilities. This can lead to depression, stress and irritability. There are other health implications that can afflict the body as a result of sleep deprivation. As the body is deprived of sleep, its ability to metabolize glucose declines, leading to the early stages of diabetes. Additionally, a normally healthy person will begin to show sign of premature aging.

Interestingly, the symptoms of sleep deprivation can actually interfere with a persons sleep patterns. As stress from lack of sleep increases, the bodys ability to wind down and get adequate rest declines. As a person ages, they require less sleep. An infant, up to 24 months old requires thirteen to seventeen hours of sleep. However, people who are sixteen to sixty-five years old only need six to nine hours. These are not hard, fast figures, though. Everyone is different and while some folks may do just fine on three or four hours of sleep a night, others may need ten or more.

Get a Better Nights Sleep

• Try a Light Snack - Some people find it helps if they have a small snack before going to bed. L-tryptophan is a natural sleep aid found in foods such as turkey and warm milk.
• Do Not Oversleep or Sleep In - This is a common misconception. Getting more than your necessary amount of sleep will actually make you feel groggy throughout the entire day. Also, while it may be tempting to sleep in, or "catch up on sleep" over the weekends, it is actually better for you, if you wake up at the same time each day, even if you got to bed really late the night before.
• Create a Bedtime Ritual - Take some time to relax and de-stress before you go to bed. Create some type of a bedtime ritual to prepare your mind and body for bed and create a break between the stresses of the day and your time of rest. Try some light reading, meditation, aromatherapy, a warm bath, soft music, or anything that helps you unwind and get ready to sleep.
• Avoid Caffeine - Caffeine is a stimulant. We know this as we have our morning coffee. What may not be so apparent is how long caffeine can stay in a persons system - up to fourteen hours. A cup of coffee at noon can have you still wide awake at midnight. Avoid caffeine at least four to six hours prior to bedtime.
• Dont Use Alcohol to Help You Get to Sleep - Drink plenty of liquids but not alcohol. Although alcohol may initially make you drowsy and make it easier to fall asleep, it can cause disturbances in sleep. This results in a less restful sleep.
• Restrict Nicotine - Many people do not realize that nicotine is actually stimulant. After all, a smoke before bedtime feels so relaxing, right? Nicotine acts similar to caffeine in a persons system. It can keep you awake and cause you to wake during the night.
• Make Your Bedroom a Place for Sleep - Lower the lights, keep the room cool (but not cold) and turn down the noise. Do everything that you can to make your bedroom a place conducive to relaxation and sleep.
• Don't Leave the TV on to go to Sleep - When you watch TV in bed, you start associating the bed with non-sleep activities. This can make it difficult to fall asleep. Additionally, TV shows are based on conflict then resolution. Whether you realize it or not, this can be stressful to you on a subconscious level. Even as you sleep you can hear what is happening on the TV and a part of your subconscious can even process it, raising your stress levels and disrupting your sleep.

Learn how you can become an Energetic Early Riser! http://www.ifoundHealth.com Spencer Hunt was a busy pre-med student who got very little sleep and used to always be very tired throughout the day, until he discovered a new breakthrough discovery in nutrition. He now helps others to enjoy an energy and immune system boost through pharmaceutical grade, organic glyco nutrients that have been scientifically validated. Contact him through his site for a free glyconutrients consultation and wellness assessment. Copyright Protected Report: This copyrighted document may be reproduced only if the author’s information remains and the links are live. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Spencer_Hunt

7 Tips To Help You Sleep Better And Beat Sleep Deprivation

By Gisele Brosnan

Do you find yourself lying in bed at night tossing and turning or counting backwards in the hopes of eventually falling asleep? If you suffer from occasional bouts of insomnia, here are seven sleep aids that can help you sleep with more ease:

1. With the increased awareness of the importance of receiving a good night's sleep, a number of sleep-friendly pillows are now available for sleep-hungry individuals. Some pillows are specifically designed to help reduce the frequency and intensity of snoring.

Snoring is one of the greatest detractors to a good night's sleep. The new PillowPositive is a special patented cervical pillow. Clinical trials have shown its efficacy in helping reduce snoring. PillowPositive encourages the user to position their head in order to avoid positions that leave the airway passages vulnerable to snoring.

Another sleep-friendly pillow is the Nelson Sound Sleeper. The Nelson Sound Sleeper is an ergonomically designed pillow that has built-in speakers that allow relaxing music to be funneled to the user. The Nelson Sound Sleeper is made for the whole body. It supports a healthy inclined position that reflects the body's natural curvature, and which supports the spine. The Nelson Sound Sleeper is designed to support and distribute equally the user's body weight, regardless of what side or sleeping position the sleeper has taken.

2. Aromatherapy sleep aids that will send you off to dream land sweetly. Although many people scoffed when aromatherapy first caught the public's attention, research shows that essential oils can be quite effective in alleviating all sorts of medical conditions. Lavender has proven to be the most popular choice for inducing sleep.

There are several ways you can use lavender to fall asleep. You can purchase a special aromatherapy diffuser that you can use to expel the aroma in your bedroom before bedtime. You can place a few drops in your hot bath, or you can purchase lavender massage oil and rub it into your skin before nighttime.

Whatever you choose, you will want to remember that essential oils can be surprisingly powerful—a few drops goes a long way. You can also create a small sachet filled with lavender potpourri that you can place in your pillow. Some people have also reported success with the use of jojoba oil, marjoram, and ylang-ylang.

3. White noise machines can be particularly effective if you need to fall asleep during the day, where distractions and noise are more prone to keep you awake. Popular models include the Norelco Natural Sound Selector, the Burltech Ultra Heart and Sound Soother, and the Marpac line of Sound Conditioners. Most of these white noise machines are outfitted with several modes and sounds from nature that are designed to send you off to sleep.

A simpler way to gain a similar effect is to use a fan on a low setting, or to set the radio on the classical music station at a very low volume.

4. Like essential oils, music is another great way to calm the senses and prepare the body for restful sleep. Many musical CDs specifically designed to send you off to sleep are now available. The SleepNowCD, for instance, contains sonic biofeedback that is designed to minimize anxiety and induce sleep. Another option for insomniacs is the Easy Sleep Tapes for Insomniacs from Hypnosis Concepts. These tapes contain two hypnosis sessions aimed to ease you into restful sleep.

5. Certain herbs have been proven to induce sleep. Special nighttime or sleepy time teas can be a powerful yet natural method to induce sleep. Chamomile, valerian, and ginger teas are recommended for sleep-seekers. Make sure to drink these hot teas at least an hour before bedtime.

6. If you find yourself experiencing transient insomnia due to travel or temporary stressors, over the counter sleep aids can help you get the rest you need quickly and easily. Over the counter sleep aids are no substitute to natural sleep, and their use should be discontinued as soon as possible. These drugs are designed to provide fast relief from sleeplessness, but they lose their effectiveness if used for too long.

7. With the variety of non-drug sleep aids now available, prescription sleep aids should be avoided, if possible. If you suffer from severe chronic insomnia, visit your doctor to make sure you are not suffering from an underlying disorder or illness. Many sleep aids carry the risk of side effects, and some can even be addictive. Proceed with caution when it comes to prescription sleep aids.

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Gisele Brosnan is a contributing Editor for http://www.mybeautymatch.com. Find out which anti-aging skincare products, treatments, and aging well options that will help you look as young as you feel. Join Beauty Match Insider and receive ‘7 Beauty Tip Sheets’ (valued at $47)…our gift to you just for joining today!

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