How To Sleep Better And Conquer Sleep Debt

16 अक्टूबर, 2024
अपडेट की तारीख: 23 अक्टूबर, 2024
4 मिनट में पढ़ें

Do you have 3-4 cups of coffee to stay up and get through the day? Have you ever wondered why it becomes difficult to function when you have slept less? The underlying reason might be sleep debt.

इनके बारे में जानें:

What is sleep debt?
Calculating your sleep debt
The impact of sleep debt on your health
Strategies for catching up on sleep debt

What is sleep debt?

Sleep debt, also known as sleep deficit, is the difference between how much sleep you need and how much you actually get. It is when you sleep fewer hours than your body needs. Sleep debt adds up over time and can negatively impact your health. It is when you sleep fewer hours than your body needs. You should watch your late-night habits. Ensure you are not commuting, working, studying, or watching shows when it is time to sleep. However, you may not always feel tired if you have a sleep debt. Research has shown that you can adapt to chronic sleep restriction. This means that even if you don’t feel sleepy, your body may already have significant declines in mental and physical performance.

The consequences of chronic sleep deprivation

Sleep debt can negatively impact your health. If you don’t get enough sleep regularly, you might:

Feel tired throughout the day
Lose your ability to remain focused and efficient during the day
Weaken your immune system
Make it more difficult for your brain to process and store new information‌.

Calculating your sleep debt

To avoid the consequences of sleep debt, you must learn how much sleep your body needs and how to calculate sleep debt.

Estimate your sleep needs

The first step to avoiding sleep debt is to learn how much sleep you need. This varies from person to person.‌ According to the National Sleep Foundation, most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Children should get nine to eleven hours, while teenagers should get eight to ten hours of sleep each night.

Track your sleep patterns

Keep a diary where you can set a sleep schedule. This will allow you to prioritize sleep and ensure you get the rest you need. If you want to change your sleep schedule, do it slowly in 30-minute or 60-minute increments.

Calculate the difference

If you get four hours of sleep when you should be getting eight, you will have a sleep debt of four hours. If you do this for the next seven days, you will end up with a sleep debt of 28 hours. Similarly, going to sleep 20 minutes or 40 minutes later than usual for a few days can quickly add up your sleep debt.

The impact of sleep debt on your health

Sleep debt can have a detrimental effect on your health.

Impaired cognitive function

Sleep debt can impair cognitive function in several ways. It can:

Make it harder to react quickly, which can be dangerous when driving or doing other tasks that require quick responses.
Make it harder to focus and stay attentive.
Impair memory as sleep plays a key role in forming and consolidating memories.
Make it harder to process information quickly.
Make it harder to have insight.

Mood disorders and anxiety

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It can increase the risk of mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. Studies show that even healthy people can experience increased anxiety and distress levels following poor sleep. Those with mental health disorders are even more likely to experience chronic sleep problems and, in turn, exacerbated psychiatric symptoms.

Physical health issues

Sleep debt puts you at a higher risk for the following conditions:

Hypertension or हाई ब्लड प्रेशर
डायबिटीज
Coronary heart diseases occur when the coronary arteries narrow or become blocked, preventing the heart from receiving enough oxygen-rich blood
Obesity or extreme weight gain
Cardiovascular diseases or a group of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels

Strategies for catching up on sleep debt

When losing sleep is sometimes unavoidable due to circumstances, you should make up for the sleep lost.

Create a consistent sleep schedule

Set a regular sleep schedule where you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Additionally, try to make up for lost sleep by getting a few extra hours of sleep each night or taking short naps during the day.

Creating a sleep-conducive environment

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Think about what relaxes you before you go to sleep so you can get quality rest. For example, you can turn off your electronics, stop studying or working, and dim the lights half an hour before you go to sleep.

Manage stress and anxiety

Chronic stress and anxiety can be significant barriers to quality sleep. Adopting relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness can help you wind down at night and reach deep sleep. You can also listen to specially curated music to soothe the mind and prepare for a night of deep rest.

Sleep is essential. The quantity and quality of sleep you get daily matter. So, ensure that you sleep soundly for your overall well-being.

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