What are the symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation?

We all know that lack of sleep can cause great harm to the human body, but white-collar workers often work overtime due to work. Many people like to have a nightlife. They are very energetic at night and very tired during the day. They play until very late at night before going to bed, which will lead to lack of sleep. So, what are the symptoms of long-term lack of sleep? It is convenient for everyone to check whether they are lacking sleep.

You may have boasted that you're asleep before your head hits the pillow. But, do you know? If you do fall asleep that quickly, it may be a clear sign of sleep deprivation and a warning sign that you need to catch up on your sleep.

1. Fall asleep immediately

You might think this is a sign of good sleep, but the opposite is true. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, if you routinely fall asleep within five minutes of lying down, you may be suffering from severe sleep deprivation or even a sleep disorder.

2. You are more impulsive than usual

Whether it's your craving for donuts that you normally wouldn't be interested in or your sudden willingness to spend on expensive clothing, lack of sleep may be the culprit. Lack of sleep can have a huge impact on the brain's prefrontal cortex, an area associated with judgment, impulse control, visual association and attention. Lack of sleep can lead to poor judgment and impulsive behavior, such as poor diet, buying things without considering the consequences, irritability and other emotional problems.

3. Relying on clichés

If you find yourself talking around proverbs and phrases like "A beggar can't be chooser" and "It's better to be safe than sorry," and you're not a retiree, it might be time to take a nap. The frontal lobe is associated with speech, constructive thinking and creativity and can be deeply affected by sleep deprivation. Harris believes that people who are sleep-deprived find it difficult to have spontaneous complex speech, and many will have slurred speech, stuttering, monotonous speech, or use clichés.

4. Forgetfulness

If you've ever gone out to mail something and realized you forgot it at home when you got there, or if you can't remember a new coworker's name even though you've heard it several times, lack of rest is likely to disrupt your memory. Harris said that sleep helps with memory consolidation and emotional processing. Without proper rest, it is difficult to form memories, and it is difficult to think carefully and act rationally without grasping the ins and outs.

5. Feeling hungrier than usual

If you don't get enough sleep at night, it's hard to stop cravings for chips and ice cream. Because lack of sleep can increase your appetite and affect leptin and ghrelin. Harris said: "Leptin controls us to stop eating and produce a sense of fullness; growth hormone gives us hunger signals and tells us that we should eat. When sleep is insufficient, the balance between leptin and growth hormone is broken, leptin will decrease and growth hormone will increase. Therefore, without good sleep, the body's hormones will control us to eat more."

Patients should be careful not to eat before going to bed, do not drink alcohol or coffee, do not overuse their brains or get emotionally excited, and should maintain a normal and stable mentality to ensure that they can fall asleep comfortably. The mattress should not be too hard, there should be soft light and no noise. It is best to listen to some soothing music before going to bed to create an environment conducive to sleep.