Are You Sleep Deprived?

"I fall asleep instantly!"

If you've caught yourself saying this, it may not be as great of a gift as you think! While many of us struggle to fall asleep (and are envious of fast sleepers!), falling asleep instantly is an unexpected, yet tell-tale sign that you could be sleep deprived.

Leading sleep experts suggest that falling asleep as your head hits the pillow is a sign that your body is operating in a sleep-deprived state. If you were a car, we'd be getting you a new battery!

To fall into a sleepy state, your body needs to go through several natural hormonal shifts (like increased Melatonin production!) 

Going through these physiological processes takes time! So, a healthy sleeper will usually take between 15 and 30 minutes to fall asleep.

And if you're taking less, you're brain is telling you you desperately need to catch some more Zzz's - we mean it! When you're sleep deprived, the hormone 'adenosine' builds up in your brain until you fall asleep (no matter where you are, or what you're doing - from on the desk at work, to serious sleep-related road incidents). 

Sleep deprivation is an indicator of too little sleep, poor sleep quality, or in the most dire cases - both! Read on for 7 unexpected signs of Sleep Deprivation

 

5 Unexpected Signs of Sleep Deprivation

  1. Lowered Immunity: You sleep more when you're sick! You may notice when you're sleeping less, you start to see a dip in your immunity - you'll catch the sniffles or just feel a bit under the weather. If you find yourself getting sick more frequently, better sleep could be your answer!
  2. Less Creativity: Can't quite communicate what you're after? Feeling uninspired? Lack of sleep could be the cause! Brain fog is created by a lack of sleep, affecting our brains ability to function at its peak. 
  3. Poor Decision Making: Sleep affects EVERYTHING - even your ability to rationalist and make good choices. Bad sleep results in more impulsivity and risk-taking. 
  4. Emotional Roller Coaster: Sleep helps you to regulate your emotions and process thoughts. If you're depriving your body of sleep, you might find yourself on an emotional journey - reacting instead of responding. 
  5. Reaching for the Snacks: Ghrelin, the hunger hormone, likes to increase when we're sleep deprived, meaning you'll be eating more than usual! 

 

Do you think you could be sleep deprived? Sleep is an all-important, and often overlooked pillar of health that can't be ignored! Consider the amount of time you're dedicating to sleep and whether you're sleep is actually quality sleep. 

 

Looking for natural ways to improve your sleep? Look no further than our Goodnight Range! Our sleep essentials (Deep Sleep Drops, or Deep Sleep Support Pillules) combined with our Sleep Mist and Goodnight Blend will help you get the Zzz's you need to rise and truly shine.