You may have heard that the ideal amount of sleep for an adult is 8 hours. That’s mostly true. Actually the recommended sleep duration for adults is between 7 and 9 hours. Some people need less than 7 hours and others need more than 9. So how do you know how much sleep is right for you? Not getting enough sleep can leave you feeling tired and irritable. It can also significantly lower your quality of life. If you aren’t sure of how much sleep your body needs there are signs that you can look for. You might think you’re getting enough rest even if you aren’t, so knowing the signs of having too little sleep can be helpful.
Fatigue – Fatigue is a tiredness that seems like it won’t go away. You may feel extreme tiredness. It doesn’t go away with sleep or it may go away for only a short amount of time. You may feel like you’re just tired all the time.
Irritability – Not getting enough sleep can cause you to feel irritable. You might have mood swings and/or sudden outbursts. Your emotions can become difficult to control if you don’t get enough rest for a prolonged amount of time.
Trouble with concentration – If you’re not getting enough sleep, it may be difficult to concentrate. You might experience a lack of clarity or brain fog. It will be difficult to focus for a prolonged amount of time. If your sleep deprivation is severe enough, you may not be able to focus for more than a few minutes. The effects on your concentration will vary from person to person.
Libido has decreased – Maybe this one will get your attention! If you’ve noticed a lower than usual libido, you might not be getting enough sleep. Lack of quality sleep over a period of time will screw up your hormones, especially the ones associated with sexual desire.
Weight gain – You might not think of weight gain as a sign of sleep problems, but it is. Cortisol, a hormone that contributes to excess belly fat, is released when your body doesn’t get the sleep it needs. You can also gain weight because you’re awake for more hours during which you consume more calories.
Less productive – Feel like you’re unproductive and just spinning your wheels? It may be that you’re not getting enough sleep. It becomes harder to get things done. Lack of sleep can cause mental, emotional, and physical problems.
If you see any of these signs, you may not be getting enough sleep. The more of them you notice, the more likely it is that you haven’t been getting the rest you need. You should immediately make getting enough sleep a priority. Your health is important, and you can’t have a healthy body and brain without getting the proper amount of quality sleep.
What else can you do for a healthy body and brain? Take the 12 day ecourse and find out…
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