Sleep deprivation- a serious health problem

Sleep deprivation is a serious health problem that affects millions of people each year. It can affect children and adults. Sometimes people will ignore the symptoms of sleep deprivation until it causes neuro issues including memory loss, mood swings, or lack of performance at work or school. Depression can also be a direct cause of sleep deprivation.

Each person requires a slightly different amount of sleep each night. However, most guidelines recommend at least 8 hours of deep sleep. The difficulty is that many people have work schedules that may be complicated and interfere with healthy sleep patterns. Others may have family commitments such as babies in the home.

The immune system works best when a person is well- rested and able to revitalize blood cells, body tissues, and organs adequately. People with weakened immune systems often times have more infections and take longer to clear infections. People may also develop headaches or body aches that are directly caused by sleep deprivation.

Some people may develop high blood pressure or high blood sugar due to sleep deprivation. There are stress chemicals that are released when a person’s body is not able to rest properly. Other people may gain weight or develop neck pain and low back pain due to poor sleep.

It is estimated that over 100,000 car accidents and more than 1,500 deaths occur each year due to sleep deprivation according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This represents a serious health concern not just for people who have sleep deprivation, but for other people in the community.

If you believe you are suffering from sleep deprivation and are not sure how to help yourself fall asleep, talk to your physician or pharmacist about over-the-counter options. If those are not appropriate for you, prescription medications and other non-medication options should be considered.