Insufficient Sleep Is a Major Problem: Here's Why
Not getting enough sleep is a major problem that impacts about 30% of Canadians. With ⅓ of the population living life with insufficient sleep, you may not think it’s that big a problem. In fact, insufficient sleep is a MAJOR problem that impacts everything from our moods and memories to our ability to think problem solve and make decisions.
What Is Insufficient sleep?
Insufficient or inadequate sleep can be caused by both not getting enough sleep in general or not getting quality sleep. Being in bed for 8 hours doesn’t matter if 4 of those hours you spent awake and rolling around trying to get comfortable.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the average adult aged 18+ should get between 7 - 9 hours of sleep a night. Teens aged 14 - 17 need about 8 - 10 hours and between 6 - 13 that number rises to 9 - 11 hours. A survey from Stats Canada found that between 2007 - 2013, the average Canadian adult got about 7.12 hours of sleep a night. When that number is reported to be between 7 - 9, that’s erroring on the low side.
The Impact of Insufficient Sleep
There are physical, mental and emotional impacts of not getting enough sleep. These impacts can also be short term or long term depending on how long the deficiency lasts.
The Biggest Challenge of Insufficient Sleep
The biggest challenge of getting insufficient sleep is that many people believe if they sleep in on a Saturday, then they’re all set for the lost sleep over the past week. In truth, it can take up to four days to recover from one hour of lost sleep. The average adult would need almost 2 weeks of solid sleep in order to make up their sleep debt. This means 14 days of prioritizing proper sleep habits and getting 8 hours of sleep a night. Most of us can’t manage this for more than one day in a row.
Long and Short Term Physical, Mental and Emotional Impacts
Right away, insufficient sleep will cause daytime drowsiness. It can make you irritable and grumpy. After a day or so, increased hunger, moodiness and a weakened immune system. Our bodies heal injuries in our sleep so those with chronic pain or who are recovering from an illness or injury may experience longer and higher levels of discomfort. Memories are formed during sleep and the things we learn are committed to our brains as we dream. Missing out on this can increase our forgetfulness and make it harder to focus.
Chronic and long-term insufficient sleep is linked to heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke. Those who do not get sufficient sleep are prone to weight gain. Because of the lack of attention or focus caused by a lack of sleep, the likelihood of workplace injury or car accidents also increases.
Insufficient Sleep is a Major Problem
Not getting enough sleep is terrible for your mood, your physical health, your mental health, your daily energy, your motivation and your general well being. Insufficient sleep can impact your career, your relationships and friendships and even how you feel about yourself. Never undervalue the power of quality sleep. If you feel that you may be suffering the negative effects of insufficient sleep then commit to 7 days of going to bed at the same time and at a time that will allow you to get the sleep you need. See how you feel.
If you are worried that you have deeper or underlying issues when it comes to your sleep, speak to your doctor or feel free to reach out to us to see about setting up a sleep consultation.