Sleep Deprivation - Causes, Effects, And Treatment Methods

By Author: Jessica Jessica j
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Sleep deprivation is a very common problem which affects a large number of people these days. A lot of people find it hard to sleep peacefully due to various reasons. This weakens them and affects their performance during the daytime. This could also lead to a number of health problems in the long run. So, if you have trouble falling asleep at night, you need to do something about it sooner than later.

Your body needs rest in the form of sleep. You need to sleep for at least six to eight hours every day in order to remain healthy and active. If you do not get a good night's sleep, you feel nothing short of awful. The next day, you feel dull, inactive, and sleepy.

Also, your ability to react quickly reduces considerably and you will find it hard to concentrate on anything for a long time. Needless to say, it brings down your productivity at work considerably. When this problem is left untreated, it has a lot of long term effects including depression, irritability, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

There are a number of causes of sleep deprivation. So, you should first find out the cause and then choose ...
... an appropriate treatment method. The most common causes include:

Sleep disorders

If you suffer from some kind of a sleep disorder, you will find it very hard to catch a good night's sleep. Some of the common sleep disorders that affect people include insomnia, sleep apnea, shift work sleep disorder, night terror, sleepwalking, and rapid eye movement behavior disorder.

People suffering from these problems will either find it hard to sleep at night or will have frequent breaks in their sleep. If this is the cause, it should be treated properly by using oral appliances or by taking the right kind of medications.

Lifestyle

Do you work long hours? Do you consume a lot of coffee? Do you consume alcohol at bed time? Do you feel stressed due to your hectic work schedule? Do you watch TV late at night? If you said yes to these questions, you do not have to search for the cause of your sleeping problems - your lifestyle is the culprit.

You need to make suitable changes in your lifestyle to reduce the effects of your sleeping problems. Avoid drinking alcohol or coffee at night. Exercise regularly. Avoid watching too much TV at night. Eat your dinner at least three hours before you go to bed. Listen to sound tracks that are specifically designed to induce sleep. These are small changes that can have a considerable effect and help you sleep well.

Medications

Sleep deprivation could be one of the side effects caused by certain medications. Make a note of all the medications you take and consult your physician. He will be able to help you.

Whatever the cause may be, sleeplessness is a problem that requires your immediate attention. If you do not take it seriously, the long term effects could be bad. It could even lead to hypertension, stroke, and heart disease in the long run. So, make sure you sleep well and stay healthy for a long time.
Jessical J. is the author of this article on Natural help sleep Find more information about Natural help sleep here.