When homework and studying start to pile up, sleep is often one of the first things to go. After all, you can’t create more hours in a day, but you can go without sleep for a while, right?
Not exactly. Aside from the obvious effects of fatigue, like feeling groggy, unfocused and sluggish, there are actually other forces at work that can wreak havoc on your body.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, the average adult needs about seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Getting anything under six hours per night, which is what almost a third of Americans log, can cause serious problems.
Even without the typical risk factors, like high blood pressure and being overweight, a lack of sleep can increase your risk for stroke, according to 2012 research. The study showed that adults who regularly slept fewer than six hours a night had four times the risk of stroke symptoms. Research has also shown that running behind on sleep can increase your risk for obesity, weaken your immune system and lead to feelings of depression.
True, one or two sleepless nights aren’t going to send you to the doctor’s office, but it’s not a bad idea to keep tabs on the amount of shut-eye you are getting – especially if you start running behind. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy if you just pay attention to these three signs:
Feeling ravenous for junk food. Being unbelievably hungry even though you haven’t skimped on food that day could be a sign you should take a nap. When you’re tired, your body craves high-calorie foods for a quick boost, which could have you well on your way to weight gain.
You’re overly emotional. If you find yourself tearing up over things that generally don’t leave you verklempt, like cartoons or infomercials, or you find yourself getting annoyed more easily, it’s likely a sign you need a good night’s sleep. A lack of rest has been known to send emotions into overdrive, making us more reactive to negative stimuli. So instead of giving that slow cashier a piece of your mind, just go home and take a power snooze.
Lingering sickness. Got a cold that you just can’t kick? Could be a sign you are short on slumber. Research shows that people with fewer than seven hours of sleep each night run a higher risk of getting sick and staying sick longer. So if your family members or roommates are sick, it’s probably a good idea to make sure you are resting up. And if you just can’t shake that head cold, take a day and sleep it off.