At some point in our lives we’ve all been low on sleep for days, weeks, or even months. But it’s definitely not something to be proud of. Sleep deprivation can be terrible for you in multiple ways, varying from body and skin health, to even mental health. So if you’re sleep deprived, no matter how many assignments you have in college or at work, take a break and get some snooze. In case you can’t figure out just how sleep deprived you are, here are some tell-tale signs that should convince you to get yourself to your bed.
You want to eat ALL THE TIME
If you’ve got a serious case of the munchies through the day, it’s likely cause is not having gotten enough sleep. Your improper sleep cycle can mess up your hormone levels, resulting in you getting severe hunger pangs.
You feel like you’re drunk without having had any alcohol
The slow, foggy, highly-impaired feeling that you get when you’re drunk, when you are hung-over, is what extreme sleep deprivation feels like. If you haven’t been anywhere near alcohol recently, but you’re unable to form proper sentences or channel your thought and emotions in conversations, feel giddy and drowsy, and just unable to apply your brain, you’re likely to be severely lacking in sleep. Also, if you have a problem remembering things, sleep deprivation is going to make it worse.
Acne and blemishes are having a field day on your face
Another hormonal effect of sleep-deprivation is bad skin, marked by bouts of acne and blemishes. While you sleep, your skin works to heal and clean the toxins out. The lack of it will obviously get in the way of that recovery process. So, next time you face a pesky, totally uncalled for breakout, try getting a couple of extra hours of sleep.
Decision-making? No can do
Another symptom of sleep deprivation is being unable to make decisions. If you can’t take the simplest of decisions, your lack of sleep might be the reason. This has to do with the lack of blood flow to parts of your brain responsible for decision-making.
You’re an emotional wreck
From feeling like a completely unemotional robot, to having sudden emotional outbursts, you’ll swing through various moods. Your ability to control, and even recognise other people’s (and your own) emotions is way harder when you’re functioning on minimal sleep. So fix it, now!
Your immunity is dipping
If you’ve been getting sick continuously for an extended period of time, whether it’s a cold, fever, or an upset stomach, it could be because you haven’t been sleeping enough. Due to the lack of rest, your body may not be at its strongest to be able to fight diseases that you come in contact with. Get the lights out, and hit the sack.
