Have you ever felt too tired to sleep or experienced trouble sleeping when you know you’re sleep deprived? Many people find it difficult to fall asleep after missing hours, and sometimes days, of a good night’s rest. They feel fatigued throughout the day and say things like, “I can’t wait to get home. I’m going straight to sleep!” But, they “go to sleep” just before the alarm clock goes off (or don’t go to sleep at all) and the next day is exactly the same.
READ: 5 Habits To Kick For A Better Night’s Sleep
Sleep deprivation can be a vicious cycle. While not getting enough sleep can cause illness, like diabetes or hypertension, those very illnesses can be the reason many find trouble sleeping. Sleep deprivation has also been linked to obesity, depression, weakening of the immune system, memory problems, heart attack, and stroke, according to the “Sleep Better, Live Better” study from Sense Labs. Illness aside, not being able to sleep when you know you’re tired is just plain old annoying.
“Healthy sleep is undervalued and unappreciated. It is critical to immune health, weight management, learning and memory, safety, and to decrease the risk of illness,” said Dr. Chris Carruthers, a sleep educator.
The feeling of being too tired to sleep has been compared to a toddler who acts out because they’re tired but refuses to go to sleep. That seems about right. Not getting enough sleep increases stress levels, which also increases sleep distress. Sleep deprivation has many negative side effects, including moodiness, loss of concentration and tardiness.
Sleep deprivation can be derived from many things, not just busy schedules. Even those with ample amount of leisure time find it hard to get some zzz’s.
READ: 5 Sleeping Positions & How They Affect Your Health
Some people rely on caffeine to stay awake during the hours that they need to be productive. But, this actually does more damage by forcing your body to use energy that really isn’t there. Not to mention, excessive use of caffeine will eventually increase your caffeine tolerance and make it less effective.
“When people feel tired and want to continue to push themselves, they reach for stimulants, like caffeine and refined sugar. The temporary energy boost a person feels from using stimulants isn’t a sign that the stimulants gave us energy. They didn’t! Instead, they caused us to dig deeper into the body’s energy reserves,” according to Steven Horne, RH(AHG).
The most affordable way to improve your sleep is to track it. Sleep tracking apps like Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock or Sleep Better allow you to measure things like the amount of time you spend experiencing a deep sleep, versus a light sleep.
“Roughly 22% of Americans use smartphone apps to track their sleep, according to a recent report by Consumer Electronics Association. Some apps even include relaxing music or breathing techniques that will motivate you to practice better sleeping habits,” reports the Sense Labs research.
READ: The Sweet Smell Of Sleep!
If you don’t want to track your sleep, simply find ways to relax. You can achieve relaxation with many methods including stretching, aromatherapy, music therapy, and (after you set your sleep app to sleep mode) putting the phone down.
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