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Risks of Not Getting Enough Sleep

Impact of long work hours on SleepThe risks of not getting enough sleep are many and as this poor guy shown in the picture knows, it is very difficult to stop yawning. People do not get enough sleep for many reasons and lack of sleep can effect your health, your diet and of course your weight. We decided to include this topic of getting enough sleep on this blog. It plays such a strong role in our ability to lose weight and maintain our health.

We will cover some of the standard reasons people have a hard time getting the sleep they need. Then focus in on one particular reason which is sleep apnea.  We will also make a few suggestions to help people with being able to sleep better. However, we would like to warn readers that the should seek a doctor’s care if they have health-related issues which need to be treated. this includes sleep apnea.

What are the Reasons People do Not Get Enough Sleep

  • Using stimulants such as coffee and caffeinated drinks that keep us awake
  • Watching TV shows that are too exciting before we go to bed
  • Exercise before we go to bed
  • Not relaxing and maintaining a routine before bedtime
  • Health-related issues such as sleep apnea and others

As we mentioned if you have dealt with all of the other things within your control, then you may want to see a doctor examine other reasons you may not be able to sleep.

What are The Risks of Not Getting Enough Sleep

There are degrees of sleep loss and if you do not deal with them, you can experience significant problems in your life. The average person who does not get enough sleep is just tired all of the time. While significant sleep loss can lead to much more serious issues. Consumers who do not get enough sleep can or may experience some of these risks of not getting enough sleep or all of  the following problems:

  • Yawning a lot
  • Falling asleep at your desk, office or in a meeting
  • Sleeping at the wheel while driving
  • Falling asleep at work in situations that could be dangerous
  • Eating a lot to give yourself energy leads to weight gain
  • Weight gain leads to other health issues such as:
    • Diabetes
    • Heart disease
    • High blood pressure
    • Strokes
    • etc

The one example that really made an impact on the writer was when a friend of mind told me that he regularly falls asleep at the wheel of his car when he stops at a red light. He does not drive alone. He always drives with his wife in the car to make sure that he stays awake. Otherwise, he would be a menace on the road. Can you imagine being in his car when he cannot stay awake! Every year we hear of hundreds of accidents were people fall asleep and are killed in an auto accident. This is probably one of the most serious of risks of not sleeping properly.

Why Do People Not Get enough Sleep

We listed a number of possible causes above, however, we want to focus on one big reason for many people. It is sleep apnea. Basically someone with Sleep apnea never gets a good night’s rest and will stop breathing in some situations for short periods, only to wake up gasping, frightening him or herself and their partners.

When this occurs often enough, people suffering from sleep apnea never get enough sleep and are perpetually tired. This was what was wrong with my friend who falls asleep at the wheel at stoplights. The answer to this particular problem was to have a sleep test conducted and an analysis of why he was not sleeping.

Once sleep apnea was diagnosed, and he started with a CPAP machine he slept much better and drives much more safely.  We are not suggesting that everyone who is tired all of the time has sleep apnea. What we are suggesting is that sometimes you need to be assessed by a doctor to find out if there is any medical reason for being exhausted all of the time. It could be any number of reasons and it is important to rule them out and also obtain a solution.

Your quality of life will be much improved once you solve the issue of why you are not sleeping and getting a good nights rest. In fact you will wonder why you waited so long to do something about it. For more information about the risks of not getting enough sleep, click here.

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