Thursday 23 January 2014

Signs you may be sleep deprived

  By: Vanessa Luis               
                   
1. You can’t remember things:
Research shows that sleep plays an important role in the connections between nerve cells and thereby affects memory. The lesser you sleep, the fewer the connections between your nerve cells. Therefore, during tasks that need sharp memory aid, such as an exam, it is recommended that students opt for a good night’s sleep over an all-nighter.
2. You can’t concentrate:
Lack of sleep impairs concentration and slows down your performance. Your body is tired and hence does not provide you with the mental capability to concentrate on the task at hand. Coffee seems to act as a quick fix in such situations as it acts as a stimulant but this temporary boost will wear off eventually.

3. You have dark circles:
Lack of sleep slows down the circulation in your body which causes the blood to pool in under the eye area. This creates the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. If you notice this change, correct your sleeping habits instead of indulging in cosmetic treatments.

4. You’re always hungry:

Studies show that lack of sleep can disrupt the blood sugar levels in the body. This causes the body to produce less leptin (a hormone that curbs appetite), and more ghrelin (a hormone that tells you when to eat). These changes may cause you to overeat and binge on unhealthy comfort foods.
5. You sleep all throughout the weekend:
If you notice that you sleep way past noon on weekends, this is a sign that your body is trying to make up for the lack of sleep during the week. Manage your time better and get a good amount of sleep during the week so that you won’t have to waste your weekends making up for it.



No comments: