No matter how hard we try to hide our feelings, sometimes our bodies give us away. When your sleep is consistently interrupted or low quality, your body begins to notice in more ways than just feeling tired and grumpy. Here are eight other signs that you aren’t getting enough sleep.
No. 1: You find yourself always hungry and craving fatty, sugary foods.
Sleep deprivation affects two key hormones – leptin and ghrelin – and throws them out of balance. As a result, our bodies don’t know when to stop eating without the hormones correctly signaling when we are full.
No. 2: You start acting more impulsively.
One area of the brain that is most affected by lack of sleep is the prefrontal cortex. This can be a real problem as it’s the area of the brain responsible for judgment and impulse control.
No. 3: You find yourself overreacting to things that normally wouldn’t bother you.
Lack of quality sleep can make it easy for your emotions to take over. This can manifest in you becoming overly emotional at something that normally wouldn’t have upset you or even in feelings of general anxiety that you aren’t normally prone to.
No. 4: You can’t find your keys or your wallet or remember what you just walked into the store to buy.
Part of the brain haze that occurs from lack of sleep involves forgetfulness. If you can’t remember basic things that you normally would have no trouble recalling, poor sleep may be to blame.
No. 5: You start to notice you’ve gained a few pounds.
Not only does lack of sleep affect your metabolism, but it also messes with hormones and can make you crave fried, fatty and sweet foods.
No. 6: Your skin starts breaking out.
There’s a reason it’s called beauty sleep. Without sleep, your skin has trouble repairing damaged cells, which can lead to more breakouts and even wrinkles over time.
No. 7: You’re dropping things or tripping more than usual.
Some people are just clumsier than others by nature. But if you find yourself suddenly clumsy or clumsier than normal, sleep problems may be to blame. Lack of sleep can affect your motor skills, especially when it’s an ongoing problem.
No. 8: You’ve had to read sentences in this blog more than once to comprehend them.
One of the surest signs of sleep deprivation is the inability to concentrate. When it comes to reading, it’s a double whammy because not only do your eyes have trouble focusing, but your brain does too.
Sometimes, sleep deprivation can be caused by sleep apnea, one of the most common sleep disorders. If you think you may be at risk for this chronic sleep problem, call us today at (425) 405-4432.
