Give Yourself a Rest: 12 Signs You're Sleep Deprived

Do you survive on coffee? Wish you could pull the covers over you when the alarm goes off? Or are you one of those people who claim they don't need much sleep but then find yourself waning midday, grouchy and impatient? You could be one of the millions of Americans who is sleep-deprived. 

In the olden days, people used to go to bed when the sun did. Our bodies were in natural alignment with the earth, but not anymore. We stay up late on the computer, watching television, or playing video-games. Many down a few drinks hoping for a better night's sleep. Alcohol may make you drowsy for a short while but then when the sugar spike dips you'll be up in the middle of the night.

Author, columnist and editor of the Huffington Post, Ariana Huffington has this to say about the important relationship between sleep and success.

 https://www.ted.com/talks/arianna_huffington_how_to_succeed_get_more_sleep?language=en

I used to feel embarrassed when people asked me how many hours of sleep I needed and my answer was 9.  Not anymore. When you have multiple demands pulling at you like so many arms of an octopus,  the body needs sleep to replenish its resources and process all the activity of the day. 

Personal Story 
As a single mom, with a house, a car, two kids, a demanding career, a part-time job plus grad school, I was up at the crack of dawn so I could squeeze in my morning run. I remember constantly complaining to my physician about how tired I was and he never seemed to address the issue. Then I started going to bed an hour earlier and what a difference it made. My body needed more sleep and I bet, so does yours.

Don't ignore fatigue.

It could also be a sign of adrenal exhaustion, anemia, and a host of other things. Want to look younger? Get more sleep. Let your face and mind relax.

The rat race will always be there but if we want to enjoy our day and be fully alert and in control, ample sleep is a must. To see if you might be sleep-deprived, check out these 11 signs  from Health magazine. 

For Reflection

How often do you feel tired? Do you regularly get at least 8 hours of sleep a night? What small change can you make to help you get more  sleep? 

I hope this post has helped you think more about the importance of adequate sleep to help you have a more healthy lifestyle. Do share this post with a friend or family-member. 

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Stay tuned for more on this important topic so you can live a long, healthy, and energetic life. My goal is to provide positive and practical wisdom to help us all find healing, wholeness, health, and harmony and to help you discover YOUR DESTINY!

Until next time,

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz