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Be a Sleeping Beauty

» The effects of sleep deprivation on your body and lifestyle

. Chitwan Khosla
© Features Editor

' features
@theotherpress.ca

 

leep is the best thing that
can happen to me ina day. I
love to sleep, and I never feel I

now and then keeps me active
all day long and I never miss

a chance to have it; this really
makes a lot of difference in my
health and daily routine. Sleep
is a very important biological

well-being. While we sleep, our
body and mind shut off for rest

needed hormones in the body.
A sound sleep is like treasure
that everyone cherishes and
desires, but not all get to enjoy.
With such busy lives when
we have a lot going on, cutting
down your sleep seems like the
only viable option. With just
24 hours in a day, sacrificing an
effective sleep spares us some
extra time to do other stuff,
but it definitely isn’t a healthy

: decision. Studies have shown

: that lack of sleep, or sleep

: deprivation, has very harmful

: effects on our physical, mental,
: and emotional health. Even

: sleeping a bit less than what

: your body requires may cause

: significant mood swings.

As reported by WebMD.

: : com, a lack of sleep puts us

have enough. A quick nap every : at a greater risk for diabetes,

: heart failures and attacks,

: high blood pressure, and

: strokes. It also informs that

: sleep deprivation is a leading

: cause for road accidents and
. . : injuries, reporting that “the :

activity that is necessary for our National Highway Traffic Safety

: Administration estimates that

and repair, and stimulate much- : fatigue is a cause in 100,000

: auto crashes and 1,550 crash-

: related deaths a year in the US.”

: This shows that lack of sleep

: has a wider social impact than

; just repeated yawns.

You might have noticed that

a sleepless night makes you

: grumpy, irritated, and less

: focussed throughout the day.

: If this lack of sleep increases,

; you can imagine the effects on
: your daily life. Mood swings,

: frustration, and fatigue are

: relationship-killers. Stressful
: daily routines make one lose
: interest in sex, as reported

: by the official website of the
: National Health Services of

: England. Further, it also reports :
: that regular sleep disruptions

: lower the levels of reproductive
: hormones in the human body,

: which affects fertility.

Sleeplessness can also

: affect your body weight and

: size. Repeatedly, studies and
: research have proven that

: sleep deprivation or irregular
: sleeping patterns make you

: eat more by increasing your

hunger and appetite, and

: subsequently, you gain weight.
: It lowers the production of

: leptin—a hunger-curbing

: hormone—and increases the

: production of ghrelin, the

: hunger-elevating hormone.

: This happens because you feel
: tired and you look for food with }
: high carbohydrates and sugar

: content for instant energy to

: get through the day. So if you're
: looking for ways to shed extra

; pounds, make sure you add

: proper sleep to your list. What

: is better than losing weight

Have an idea?

Contact: Chitwan Khosla, Features Editor

M features@theotherpress.ca

www.theotherpress.ca

: while dozing?

: Sleep deprivation makes
: you puzzled, dumb, and—in
: real terms—mentally impaired. :
: This is because it greatly

affects your senses, thinking

: and judging process, and your
: decision-making process.

: Simple incidents become

: difficult to analyze and respond :
: to. It also becomes difficult to
: remember and learn things

: while you are mentally tired.

: And to the beauty-conscious

: ladies, a lack of sleep has

: an effect on your skin; dark

: circles, wrinkles, dullness, the
: appearance of fine lines, and

: the breaking down of collagen
: (protein that keeps skin tight)
: are a few of many skin issues.

All the aforementioned

problems underline the
: importance of sound and
: regular sleep for our body and

mind. If you have not been

sleeping well, you should

: buckle down and get ready to
: take some strict steps to get

: back to track.

The first and the foremost

step to sleeping better is to set
: upa schedule and stick to it.

Image from Thinkstock

: Decide on the regular hours—a
: minimum of six—and sleep
: and get up at the same time

every day, even on weekends

: or holidays. Set upa night

: time ritual as it accustoms

: your brain with your sleep

: cycle. It may be anything like
: listening to relaxing music,

taking a bedtime shower,

: reading a book, spending some
: affectionate time with your

: pet, or writing notes for the

: next day. Avoid heavy meals,

: caffeinated drinks, alcohol, or

: smoking before sleeping. Make
sure your mattress and pillows

: are comfortable. Don’t use

: electronic devices like phones,

: tablets, or the TV while in bed.
: They alert your mind and keep
: you awake. If you are unable to
: sleep, don’t stress yourself. Get
: up, take a short walk to your

: kitchen or other room for few

: minutes, drink some water if

: you are thirsty, and come back

: to bed when you feel bit tired.

My granny often used to

say, it takes two weeks to adopt
: a habit. Stop yawning and start
: being a Sleeping Beauty now.