7 Signs You Are Sleep Deprived

With today's fast-paced and demanding lifestyle, getting the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep can be a real challenge. And even if you do manage to go to bed on time, most people aren't getting restful, quality sleep for a variety of reasons.

That means you're waking up feeling tired, groggy and even grumpy for the entire day. And this cycle repeats itself day in and day out.

Being sleep deprived is more than just feeling tired. It can have a broad impact on your mind and body. Here are 7 surprising signs of sleep deprivation that show you desperately need more sleep.

1. Decision Making is Harder

Having more trouble than usual making decisions? It could be a sign that you're not getting enough quality sleep.

That's because when you're sleep deprived, it causes your cognitive processing to become sluggish. In turn, this compromises your ability to make decisions.

The result isn't just indecisiveness, but a lack of judgment. One study found that sleep deprivation causes people to make more risky decisions which could have a huge impact on your life (1).

2. Dull, Aging Skin

It's not called "beauty sleep" for nothing. When you sleep, your body is working hard to repair and rejuvenate itself. Part of this repair process includes your skin.

If you skimp on your beauty rest, you aren't giving your body the time it needs to repair your skin, which means dull skin and accelerated aging.

One clinical trial conducted at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center, even found that skin rejuvenation is 30% better for good sleepers than those who don't get enough sleep (2).

They also found that with reduced sleep, the skin wasn't able to recover well from stressors such as exposure to sun or environmental toxins.

3. You Get Sick Often

When you don't get enough sleep, your immune system is one of the first systems to take a hit, which means you can get sick more often. Getting less than 7 hours of sleep every night can increase your chances of catching a cold or the flu.

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine discovered that people who got less than 7 hours of sleep per night were roughly 3 times more likely to develop a cold compared to those who got 8 or more hours of sleep (3).

4. Poor Short-Term Memory

Are you struggling to recall key details on a work project or even where you put your car keys? A lack of quality sleep can be to blame.

When you are sleep deprived, your brain is working in a sub-optimal state. As a result, it's difficult to remember small details.

Scientists have found that sleeping helps consolidate fresh memories (4). In other words, sleeping is necessary to store and retain information. Similarly, students need sleep to lock in what they've learned at school (5).

If you want your brain to fire on all cylinders, getting enough sleep is a must.

5. It's Hard to Lose Weight

If you have trouble losing excess weight, there are several possible explanations from eating too many carbs, not exercising enough, to an imbalance in gut microbiota, and so on.

But did you know that sleep deprivation can also cause weight gain? A lack of sleep can cause you to make poor food choices (see # 1 above), try to fix tiredness with extra sugar intake, or develop a sluggish metabolism.

One study even found that sleep deprivation reduced glucose tolerance by a whopping 40% (6). This means the body is less efficient at processing glucose, and is more likely to be stored as fat.

6. Being Cranky and Irritable

When you're sleep deprived, it can also put a strain on your relationships-be it friends, loved ones, or your partner.

Researchers at the Ohio State University Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research found that sleep deprivation increased the frequency at which couples argued with one another (7).

Part of the reason why this happens is due to the fact that a lack of sleep can make it difficult to maintain a positive attitude (8). This shift in attitude can then make its way into your relationships and sabotage them.

7. Increased Inflammation

And last, but certainly not least, sleep deprivation can significantly increase inflammation in the body, leading to more aches and pains (7).

In fact, scientists have discovered that the loss of sleep, even for a few short hours during the night, can trigger tissue-damaging inflammation (9).

So, how do you know if you have a problem with inflammation? Some common signs of inflammation include joint discomfort, digestive problems, fatigue, high glucose levels, skin rashes, puffy or red bags under your eyes, and anxiety.

How Can I Improve My Sleep Quality?

Sleep deprivation is incredibly damaging for your health. To avoid these issues, try to dedicate enough hours of shut-eye so you are getting 7 to 8 hours each night. And optimize your rest by improving the quality of your sleep.

Practicing good sleep hygiene is key to getting a better night's sleep. Some actionable strategies for falling asleep and staying asleep include avoiding blue light before bed, not eating sugary or protein-rich late night snacks, and sticking to a routine like going to bed at the same time nightly.