Not Sleeping? Not Good

Sleep is arguably one of the most important factors in a person's everyday life. Chances are, if you're not getting enough sleep, you're not going to be as productive throughout your day. How much sleep a person needs depends on several factors, the most common being your age. Infants require the most sleep; needing approximately sixteen hours a day. Infants are followed by children, teenagers, and then adults. The pattern is, the older you get the less sleep you'll need. Experts suggest an average adult needs seven to eight hours of rest per night in order to function properly the next day.

When a person isn't getting enough rest, consequences can be quite serious. Most people can relate to being in a cranky mood and very irritable if they're in need of sleep. This factor is true for all ages. You may notice that your child is giving you a hard time when they're usually behaving. One area to check is their sleep patterns. Perhaps something is keeping them awake at night and they're unable to sleep which leaves them uncooperative the next day. For teenagers, sleep is crucial for a number of reasons, including focusing on their studies. Teens that aren't getting enough rest can begin faltering with their studies. Examples include dozing off in class, having a hard time comprehending what the teacher is saying, as well as failing test due to lack of remembering the information they needed to. This is very common because lack of sleep affects a person memory.

Another vital problem with lack of sleep that's often seen in adults is dozing off while driving a vehicle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "driver fatigue is responsible for an estimated 100,000 motor vehicle accidents and 1,500 deaths each year." It's common for people to assume that grabbing a cup of coffee will keep them awake during classes and or while driving to work, but that's not always the case. Actually, if a person is severely sleep deprived, "caffeine and other stimulates" cannot keep a person awake.

Some people figure, if they just got a few hours of rest per night they'd be alright. However, sleep deprivation should always be taken seriously. Other side effects from your body not getting enough rest include "depression, anxiety, weakening of one's immune system, which increases the chances of a person getting sick, as well as increase in perception of pain." If you or someone you care for is not getting enough sleep, you should aim at ways to increase the amount of rest you get and try to help others who aren't sleeping as well. Try going to bed an extra hour or so than when you normally would. If time isn't the issue and you're just having a hard time sleeping, try other ways that can help calm the mind and body for rest. One popular idea is listening to soft, calming music right before bed or as one is lying down with their eyes closed. Some department stores sell little headphone gadgets that play only soft nature-like sounds that are specifically designed to help people fall asleep. You can also listen to classical and operas which people also find to be calming and relaxing. Remember, lack of sleep can feel horrible to the individual who isn't getting enough rest but it can also be deadly to others.

Sources:

Web MD
www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-needs
Sleep Disorders: How Much Sleep Do You Need