The Five Signs that Show Your Brain Needs More Sleep?

Poor sleep habits can lead to serious health conditions .This is becoming a growing problem in our country with nearly 40 percent of adults reporting that they fall asleep unintentionally during the day ,and five percent report nodding off while driving. Forty-five percent of teens also don't get enough sleep on school nights and 25 percent report falling asleep in class at least once a week.

Lack of sleep has serious health consequences that go far beyond not feeling fully awake and refreshed during the day. There's a price to pay both in the short term and long term as now a number of studies have linked poor sleep or lack of sleep to an increased risk of Alzheimer's. One of the reasons for this challenge has to do with the fact that your brain's waste removal system only operates during deep sleep.

So how can you be sure you're getting the right amount of sleep for you? The following Five signs indicate you probably need to address your sleep habits because you're not getting enough time for the brain to recharge.

1.    You're moody- Chronic insomnia is associated with a greater risk for irritability, depression and anxiety. The problem is even one night of insufficient sleep can have a dramatic impact on your mood. According to Lauren Hale,17 editor-in-chief of the journal Sleep Health:"If you're sleep deprived, you're more vulnerable to crankiness, irritability, and challenges coping with stress."

2.    Your work performance and productivity is inadequate - Basic brain functions such as focus, logical reasoning, and even memory can suffer when you're tired. Sleep has also been shown to boost creative functioning and promote problem solving, both of which are valuable needs in just about any profession.

3.    You're gaining weight -  The risk of developing insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes increases due to poor sleep habits or lack of sleep . Sleep exerts a specific effect on glucose metabolism, and lack of sleep also decreases levels of the fat regulating hormone leptin while increasing the hunger hormone ghrelin. The resulting increase in hunger and appetite can easily lead to overeating and weight gain.

4.    Signs of sleep deprivation are showing on your face- You can usually tell when someone hasn't slept well by how they look. A recent Swedish study looked at facial cues showing sleep deprivation, finding that people readily identified as having hanging eyelids, red swollen eyes, dark under-eye circles, pale skin, more wrinkles, and more droopy corners of the mouth as tell-tale signs of a poor night's sleep.

5.    You're drowsy during the day and catch yourself nodding off- Daytime sleepiness is a clear sign that you didn't get enough sleep the night before. So, if you're constantly yawning, and consuming excess coffee to keep yourself going, you need to get to bed earlier.

Sleep Is NOT a Luxury, It's an Essential for Good Health

**As noted in a recent issue of Time Magazine

"Sleep, the experts are recognizing, is the only time the brain has to catch its breath. If it doesn't, it may drown in its own biological debris... [Sleep researcher Dr. Sigrid] Veasey is learning that brain cells that don't get their needed break every night are like overworked employees on consecutive double shifts–eventually, they collapse.

Better Brain Tip

1)    Get your body in a natural rhythm by going to sleep and waking up at the same time for one week. See how you feel and adjust the time appropriately for better sleep patterns.

2)    Make sure you have a good mattress and pillow while avoiding sleeping on your stomach.