We\u2019re all aware of the effects insomnia has on those who suffer from it \u2013 a chronic inability to get little or any sleep that can last entire lifetimes, ruining mental and physical health.<\/p>\n
Not many people realise, however, that sleep deprivation can be far more subtle, with ill-effects building up over time to cause severe health problems.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not hard to imagine that getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night during university is near impossible; late night studying after two days of parties is par for the course and many students find themselves trying to catch up with three or four nights of minimal sleep by the time the weekend rolls around.<\/p>\n
It might seem like you\u2019re coping well on 5 hours of sleep a night when there\u2019s copious amounts of red bull and chocolate around to mask the signs of fatigue, but long term poor sleeping habits could be having a significant impact on your work, studies and relationships.<\/p>\n
Relationships<\/strong> Work<\/strong> If you regularly find it difficult to concentrate during lectures or struggle to complete work you would usually find easy, it could be sleep deprivation taking its toll on your cognitive abilities.<\/p>\n Health<\/strong> Professor Colin Smith of the University of Surrey found startling evidence that poor sleep effects the way our body recovers and rebuilds itself: \u201cClearly sleep is critical to rebuilding the body and maintaining a functional state, all kinds of damage appear to occur \u2013 hinting at what may lead to ill health\u201d.<\/p>\n What bad habits could be impacting your sleep?<\/strong> (besides the study sessions and nights out!)<\/p>\n Caffeine is a big culprit in disturbing sleep; not many people are aware of how long the effects of their last coffee can carry on working for \u2013 some people may have trouble sleeping up to 8 hours after their last drink without realising why.<\/p>\n Watching TV late at night (especially in the bedroom) can keep your mind active and the light can confuse your mind into thinking it\u2019s not time to sleep \u2013 and any horrors or thrillers will definitely make it difficult to switch off when the lights are out!<\/p>\n Falling asleep with the TV or radio on can be particularly bad for sleep, as when the noise changes or stops altogether you\u2019re likely to wake up suddenly. Combine this with a need to hear a familiar background noise to drift off at night, and you\u2019re setting yourself up for a pointless cycle of disjointed sleep that can be difficult to break.<\/p>\n It seems obvious but your surroundings can have a large effect on the quality of your sleep, without you realising it. Light sources can affect you even when your eyes are closed \u2013 so if you\u2019re trying to catch up on sleep throughout the day, the daylight may prevent your body from reaching all the different stages of sleep it would usually need.<\/p>\n
\nWondering why you started shouting at your housemate for leaving a pile of dirty pots on the kitchen side? Maybe a good nights\u2019 sleep will help you chill out a bit! Long term sleep deprivation can impact your judgement, mood and motivation, which could in turn make you more reactive and ill-tempered towards friends and family.<\/p>\n
\nIf lack of sleep can affect your relationships with loved ones, then you can be sure work performance will suffer as well. Even one night of poor sleep can make it difficult to focus, think and remember important information, so imagine the long term consequences of these effects on your studies!<\/p>\n
\nPoor quality sleep can impact your physical and mental health in many ways. From depression to obesity and heart attacks, the degree to which sleep affects us is astounding.<\/p>\n