Is it hard to keep your eyes open in the middle of the day
Unfortunately busy schedules commitments and the general stress of life can often make it hard to get enough sleep If that sounds familiar youre not alone According to the CDC 1 in 3 adults dont get the sleep they need each night
While tossing and turning once in a while wont do any real harm other than annoy you the next day a lack of sufficient sleep for a longer period of time can leave you feeling overtired Thats not just annoying its dangerous
Some people can deal with being overtired without experiencing any symptoms Others however can experience a whole host of problems
If youre continuously not getting enough sleep and you know it its important to understand what could happen to your mind and body when youre overtired By knowing some of the problems youll be more motivated to make sleep a priority
Youre Too Tired to Sleep
If you have kids or youve been around someone with a baby youve probably heard or used the term overtired before When babies and kids are overtired they tend to get cranky and restless but instead of just crashing and falling asleep it seems to be impossible to get them to close their eyes and rest
While being overtired might not cause you to throw a tantrum it can make it hard to sleep It doesnt seem to make much sense on paper right
When you recognize how being overtired impacts your brain its easy to see why sleep doesnt come easily When youre overtired your body and brain arent functioning properly When youre exhausted more of the stress hormone cortisol is also released So you might feel tense anxious or restless when its time for bed
You can overcome this particular problem by forming better sleep hygiene habits Try to go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning
Impaired Ability to Think Clearly
Have you ever found yourself sitting at your desk at work staring off into space Or maybe someone asked you a question and you werent exactly sure what they said because you were daydreaming
Being overtired hurts your ability to think clearly It slows down your processing times leaving your brain feeling fuzzy Spending even one night without sleep can make you feel drunk and cause problems like
An inability to focus
Memory issues
Concentration problems
Lack of productivity
Communication issues
Because overtiredness can impair your ability to think clearly you could also put others at risk especially if you get behind the wheel of a car youre watching children or handling dangerous equipment at your job
Restlessness and Anxiety
Mental health conditions and sleep problems often go hand in hand Research has shown that anxiety can cause sleeping problems and sleep deprivation can lead to anxiety The less you sleep the easier it is for your brain to start spinning out of control and for your anxious thoughts to take over Unfortunately the more anxious you are the harder it is to rest
When youre overtired that restlessness can carry over into all hours of the day You might find yourself feeling on edge or nervous and unsure about things youre typically comfortable with You might also start over thinking any problems in your life and looking at worst case scenarios
For example one trigger many people are facing right now is stress from the COVID 19 pandemic The pandemic has disrupted almost everyones lives in some way and youre not alone if youve lost sleep over it So many people are having trouble sleeping because of the pandemic the term Coronasomnia has taken hold
Being overtired due to pandemic stress will lead to more restlessness and anxiety during the day It will feel nearly impossible to turn your brain off contributing once again to that vicious cycle of mental health issues
Restless Leg Syndrome
Have you ever been exhausted but some kind of physical issue or ailment is keeping you up Its not uncommon to experience illnesses or pain at night including
Stomach problems
Headaches
Muscle and joint pain
One of the biggest physical culprits of sleep deprivation however is Restless Leg Syndrome RLS RLS can be triggered by not getting enough sleep and like many of the other issues listed here it can also keep you from getting enough sleep
Thankfully there are a few lifestyle changes that can help you manage your Restless Leg Syndrome so your legs will stop crawling at night and you can develop better sleep habits Some of the best ways to combat RLS are
Exercising regularly
Limiting caffeine nicotine and alcohol
Using heating pads
Applying a cold compress
Soaking in a warm tub
Reducing your stress levels
While these habits are good for RLS many of them can make other nighttime ailments more manageable too so your body is more likely to be in a relaxed state when you climb into bed
Mood Swings
Have you ever heard someone suggest that they cant talk to people before theyve had their morning coffee Maybe youve even said something similar before Theres a difference between playful coffee talk and the extreme mood swings that can occur when you regularly dont get enough sleep
There may not be enough caffeine in the world to combat how easy it is to snap at someone when youre overtired Of course the next minute you might feel so guilty about it that youre in a puddle of tears An hour later you might be laughing and feeling a bit punchy
Mood swings might not seem like a big deal at first However they can interfere with your relationships cause problems at work and lower your quality of life Mood swings dont only affect you They can impact anyone youre with
No one wants to go from one extreme to another with their feelings Its like causing an emotional whiplash for yourself every day Not only will that contribute to more exhaustion but it can also lead to mental health conditions including depression
We live in a busy stressful world Its not unusual to experience a poor night of sleep now and then But if its a consistent problem and you become overtired understand the potential consequences Changing your sleep habits will usually make a big difference If youre still having trouble getting the rest you need on your own consider talking to a healthcare professional about other solutions that can help
At The Alaska Sleep Clinic we help thousands of patients every year in treating sleep disorders One of the most frequent complaints from sufferers of sleep disorders is excessive daytime sleepiness caused by a shortage of quality sleep on a regular basis Getting regular quality sleep is one of the most important aspects of a healthy life and we strive to provide our patients with the best care possible to alleviate their sleep disorders so they can experience life to the fullest If you are experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness contact the Alaska Sleep Clinic 907 357 6700 for a free consultation Its time to start getting the sleep you need for the quality of life you deserve
