A lack of sleep can affect your whole body. Everything from your mood to your waistline to your heart health. Those with a lack of sleep have noticed an increasing problem with short term temper and a loss of focus. The team here at Cool Springs Chiropractic knows how important it is for your health to sleep well. We have a few suggestions for you.
Individuals who experience long term sleep deprivation have noticed they become sick easier due to a problem with their immune system. Those who have sleep deprivation tend to have an increase in cortisol (the stress hormone) their body weight has increased especially around their middle.
What Causes a Lack of Sleep
There are many factors that can deprive you of a full night’s rest. Sleep apnea happens when your airway gets blocked and you temporarily stop breathing. Mental illness, such as bipolar can also cause you to not get a full night’s rest.
Here are some common causes of stopping you from getting a full night’s rest.
- Too much caffeine
- Medicine
- Mental health disorders
- Sleep disorders
- Too much screen time
- Not enough rest the night before
- No “power down” time before bed
- Not enough exercise
- Eating a heavy meal before bed
- Travel
- Stress
- Alcohol
- Nicotine use
Eliminate what you can so you are able to enjoy more rest at night.
Effects of Not Sleeping Enough
There are many things that sleep can affect. Your mental health is one of the first things to suffer when you have continual poor rest. People who don’t get enough rest tend to lose focus easily. They can also become easily irritated and quick to respond.
Here are some of the biggest concerns when it comes to not catching enough z’s:
- Poor performance on day to day activities
- Slow reaction times, especially dangerous when driving
- Can make mental health issues sever
- Depression
- Bipolar
- Anxiety
- Substance abuse
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease, such as heart attacks
How to Get Diagnosed With a Sleep Disorder?
A sleep doctor or psychologist will be able to diagnose many of the issues that can cause sleep problems. A psychologist will be able to do an evaluation of such disorders as bipolar. There are other symptoms they’ll look for, such as erratic spending.
Also, sleep doctors will conduct studies and monitor you during the night. This will include polysomnography which evaluates oxygen levels in your body, how much you move and your brainwaves to test how much disruption you experience during the night.
Electroencephalogram tests for the potential problem with the electrical activity in the brain. Finally, they’ll do genetic blood testing to test for health problems like narcolepsy.
Treatments For Disorders
There’s a variety of methods to treat sleeping problems. From medicine to sleep machines, or dental guards. Here are the biggest ways people treat insomnia.
- Sleeping pills
- Melatonin
- Cold medicine
- Allergy pills
- Breathing devices
- Surgery
- Dental guard
- Treating the medical issue that is causing the problem (such as bipolar medicine)
Other Health Risks from Lack of Sleep
A full night’s rest can boost your immune system. Your body repairs itself while it rests and is better prepared to fight off viruses, bugs, or worse. Studies show that at least seven hours of rest can help improve your immune system.
Rest also helps with your mental state. It’s not just being grumpy it can cause problems. Insomnia is actually a sign of mania. This is one of the key symptoms of bipolar disorder. If you have bipolar and find yourself not getting enough rest you may find that you’re setting yourself up for a manic episode.
Getting a good night’s sleep can also decrease strain on your heart. It also you at a lower risk of type-2 diabetes, which also decreases your risk of heart disease.
Commonly Asked Questions Regarding Sleep
People Google many things at night when they can’t sleep, including, “why can’t I sleep?” or “how to get a better night’s rest”. Here are a few other commonly asked questions.
What’s the average night look like?
Women in the United States tend to get more rest than their male counterparts. Women get on average six hours and nine minutes while men get approximately five hours and forty-five minutes.
Teens are the most sleep-deprived age group. They need about eight to ten hours of sleep, however, they only get about seven hours a night.
Who are the world’s worst sleepers?
Surprisingly the worst sleepers in the world are in Japan. They average just under six hours a day. Followed by Suadi Arabia, Sweden, India, and the Philippines. The average American only gets under seven hours of sleep.
Who are the world’s best sleepers?
The best sleepers in the world are the Chinese, they get a record nine hours of sleep per night.
What can you do to improve your sleep?
The best way to treat a lack of rest is to prevent it in the first place. The best way to do this is to create and stick to a consistent routine. Bedtime and wakeup time at the same time every day, including weekends. Creating a consistent bedtime routine is also helpful.
Consistent activity, at least thirty minutes a day, is extremely helpful at getting a good night’s rest. Limiting caffeine, alcohol, naps, and nicotine. Don’t eat large meals before bed. Keep your bedroom just for bedroom activities. Talk to your doctor if you think your medicine is affecting your rest.
How does sleep affect you and what can you do?
A lack of sleep can cause short term and long term problems with your overall health. Fatigue in the morning from a poor night’s rest isn’t the only problem. People who have long term sleep problems can develop conditions as serious as heart problems.
How Can Chiropractors Help You Sleep Better
While chiropractors aren’t sleep doctors, one-third of patients find that chiropractic care has assisted them in decreasing discomfort within their bodies resulting in an easier time falling asleep.
A good night’s rest is very important to your overall health. At Cool Springs Chiropractic, we are here to help. Through chiropractic care, we can help alleviate insomnia. Contact us today so we can get your life back on track.
Are you suffering from back pain, sports injury, or an accident? Did you know Chiropractic can possibly help treat these injuries?
Get in touch with Dr. Pete Hinz at Cool Springs Chiropractic today for a FREE consultation.
