Why Sleep Deprivation is Increasing

Are you sleeping well? If not, you’re not alone. Between 50 and 70 million Americans struggle with sleep.

As sleep deprivation increases, so do health hazards related to sleeplessness. Lack of sleep causes injuries from accidents, illnesses from a lower immune system, and even deadly diseases.

Understanding why we don’t sleep enough can help us find solutions. Read on to learn why sleep deprivation continues to affect more and more Americans.

Baby Boomers 

With the baby boomer population reaching their golden age, we are seeing an associated increase in sleep issues. Since they make up a large portion of our people, they also make a significant impact on these population-wide statistics.

Our age plays a significant role in sleep. Many senior citizens struggle with getting enough.

This can cause a decrease in melatonin produced by the body. Age-related health issues and medications may also cause sleep problems.

Though age does make sleep more difficult, it does not mean that seniors should simply “deal with it.” They can get better sleep by making adjustments to their daily habits and seeking treatment from a sleep center.

Electronics

Technology makes life much simpler for people of all ages. But, our dependence on electronic devices also leads to sleep issues.

Using them frequently may overstimulate the brain, making people feel wired at bedtime. The LED light also reduces the production of melatonin making sleep difficult.

Cut down on your screen time to see if it helps you rest better. When you do use electronics, try to cut them out long before bedtime.

Stress

We live in a society that lives on the go. This leads to more stressful lives.

Think about the times your adrenaline gets pumping throughout the day. Maybe you get stressed out driving through traffic, waiting in line at the bank on your work break, and trying to meet a deadline. Add in driving kids to activities and trying to pay bills during a time of extreme inflation, and you are living a high-stress life.

Stress releases hormones like noradrenaline and cortisol. These chemicals keep you awake and on high alert.

Use simple breathing exercises, like counting to 5 on each inhale, pause, and exhale. Taking a yoga class may help as well!

Values

The values we hold greatly impact our lives. Western culture prides itself on hard work and independence.

While these are great things, Americans tend to super-size everything in their lives. So they work long hours so that they can do everything on their own.

After working late hours, many people try to make time for play, when work itself already cuts into their sleep time. To top it all off, over-exhaustion leads to sleep deprivation. 

Begin to value self-care along with hard work. Getting adequate sleep will help you increase your production!

Avoid Health Hazards With Good Sleep

Live your best life by staying healthy. Good sleep can help prevent avoidable health hazards from taking away your quality of life. 

Sometimes sleep disorders wreak havoc on your life even when you take all of the appropriate measures. Contact us so that we can help you sleep tight.