Is Sleep Deprivation Killing You?
The claim:
“If you’re getting less than 6 hours sleep, you’re cognitively impaired.”
A lack of sleep can literally kill you. “Sleepless in America” Nov 30 8/7c.
I really do try to sleep more but for some reason, my body wakes me up even though I have the extra time. It’s then so hard to get back to sleep after that. I can attest to some of the effects this video lists from not getting enough sleep and truly believe this to be valid.
Do you have any good sleep strategies besides going to be earlier?
Let me know in the comments section and maybe I’ll try some suggestions and report back here how it went.
Joshua Graham is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, winner of the International Book Award and Forward National Literature Award. His thrillers include DARKROOM, LATENT IMAGE and BEYOND JUSTICE, and TERMINUS. Graham's works have been characterized as thought-provoking page-turners.
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That video is a real eye opener! I had no idea how serious it was to not get enough sleep. I get between 4-6 hours steady sleep. Then, feel so tired that I need a nap in the afternoon, which makes me feel too rested to sleep on time at night. It has become a cycle of broken sleep for me.
When I do sleep well,it is because I take the time to prepare myself for rest. It helps if I do not eat or drink two hours before bedtime,definitely no sweet snacks that may be in my system, including milk and peanut better. Listening to relaxing music for an hour or so, talking to my spouse and putting my thoughts down before going to bed helps me rest. Reading and meditating on the Word greatly increases my peace for sleeping. Knowing the kids are tucked in and everything else is set helps me rest easier, if I could just get myself in this routine on a daily basis. Taking Tylenol pm helps if I am away from home,and sometimes at home.
What helps you relax enough to rest easy at night?
~Lori LC
Some great ideas there, Lori.
I find that bright lights, and using anything with an LED screen (smartphone, tablet, laptop) near bedtime makes it hard for me to sleep. I read that it inhibits the production of certain sleep hormones (serotonin?).
But sleeping earlier has definitely helped, as has not drinking anything a few hours before going to sleep. Fluids late at night will make me wake up to go to the bathroom, and once that happens, it’s not always easy to get back to sleep.