Getting Your Sleep: Are You Sleep Deprived?When it comes to sleep patterns you may be a “lark” is the term given to those who like to get up early. An “owl” is someone who likes to stay up late. While as a lark you may be ready for bed well before 10 PM and an owl may wish the day stared at 10AM,weather you are a lark or an owl are you getting enough sleep? For many years doctors have known that lack of sleep can cause foggy thinking and poor concentration. More recent research has shown that the lack of sleep can also lead to potentially serious health problems. A chronic lack of sleep can place you at risk for the same serious diseases as those associated with lack of physical activity and poor eating habits. Cortisol is a stress hormone that regulates blood sugar glucose, and is one of the hormones to blame. Prolonged sleeplessness causes the body to continuously release cortisol into the bloodstream. In a chain reaction causes a rise in glucose in the blood and promotes the body to release more insulin in an attempt to lower the blood glucose level. Over time the increased secretion of insulin can lead to insulin resistance a metabolic syndrome, a condition in which the cells no longer respond to the effects of the insulin. This condition has a cluster of symptoms that increases the risk for diabetes, heart attack, and stroke. Signs and symptoms of the syndrome are abdominal obesity, low good cholesterol and elevated though not always high, triglycerides, blood pressure and blood sugar.Additionally too little sleep can boost your appetite by lowing leptin levels which is the hormone levels that signals the brain to stop eating. So your body responds by boosting your drive for food and burning fewer calories. Studies have shown that people that sleep fewer hours have low levels of leptin. So too little sleep may make you hungry, especially for high caloric foods, and my prime your body to hold on to the calories you eat. Consequently the chronic release stress hormone by sleep deprivation affects the immune system, making you more susceptible to colds and infections. Lack of sleep can accelerate the aging process. Ask yourself the following questions and rate 0 as never, 1 as sometimes, 2 often, 3 always, the following statements: I sleep through the alarm clock, I have morning grogginess, I need caffeine to help me wake up in the morning, I need caffeine to help me stay awake during the day, I have difficulty concentrating, I turn down social engagements because of fatigue, it is difficult to keep my eyes open while driving at night, I fall asleep within 5 minutes of going to bed, I am forgetful during the day, I am irritable with family and co-workers, it takes me longer to get things done, I experience the mid-afternoon slump. Total the number. The scoring key is as follows: 0-15 No, You are not sleep deprived; 16-24 You are on the way to sleep deprivation; 25-36 Yes, you are sleep deprived. Adapted from: LSU AgCenter (2006) Make Sure to Get Your SleepIf you want more information on how to control your stress please contact the Union County Extension Office at (605) 356-2321 or e-mail me at leah.burnison@sdstate.edu. |
