Lack of sleep: how to sleep healthier again

Insufficient sleep worsens your health, leads to serious illness, and leads to poorer sex. You’ll sleep better again.

Whenever you feel powerless when you wake up and want to fall back into bed immediately, you have probably slept too little.

A short night can happen to all of us – but when does a lack of sleep become a problem & what consequences can it have for your own health?

Here you can find out how you 1. Recognize signs of insufficient sleep and which measures you can take to sleep better and healthier again.

This is why lack of sleep is bad for your health

Our body needs sleep to regenerate and recharge its batteries every day.

  • In the deep sleep phases, our brain also processes the events of the previous day.
  • If you don’t sleep enough, this relaxation is missing and the body restricts important functions.

Lack of sleep not only leads to permanent tiredness, but also to more stress, lower libido, more frequent illnesses, obesity and cardiovascular diseases.

In short: without enough sleep, the body and mind no longer function properly .

How much sleep do i need?

Everyone has an individual need for sleep – while early risers can get by with 6 hours of bed rest, some late risers need up to 10 hours.

  • The natural sleep duration is genetically determined and can hardly be influenced in the long term by any tricks or stimulants.
  • However, it changes with age: growing adolescents need more sleep on average than adults.

In the latest studies on the optimal length of sleep , the experts therefore give recommendations for different age groups:

The recommended length of sleep

For adults, the optimal sleep duration averages 7-9 hours.

  • However, some people can get by with 6 hours without having to worry about serious health risks.
  • Conversely, some adults need up to 10 hours of rest. You shouldn’t lie above or below, however.
  • If you regularly sleep less than 6 or more than 10 hours (yes, too much sleep is unhealthy ), then your health risk increases.

However, sufficient sleep alone is not enough to prevent sleep deprivation.

The causes of sleep deprivation

So that the body can recover during the night, 2 things are crucial:

  • How long does sleep last? As described above, the body needs a naturally defined minimum number of hours to regenerate.
  • How good is the quality of sleep? In addition to the duration, how healthy you rest is also important. 10 hours of rest without deep sleep leave the body no opportunity to recharge.

So if you feel tired all the time despite getting enough sleep , it may be due to poor sleep hygiene.

Both must be right for healthy sleep: It should last long enough & also be deep & restful. But how do you find out if your sleep meets both requirements?

Lack of sleep: how to spot the signs

First of all: lack of sleep can have serious consequences (more on this in the next section), so if in doubt you should always speak to a specialist.

Only a doctor or sleep therapist can 100% diagnose the causes of lack of sleep.

That being said, it never hurts to learn more about your sleeping habits. Watch your sleep closely to see the first signs.

Symptoms & Consequences of Insufficient Sleep

In many cases, (chronic) lack of sleep begins insidiously and those affected do not notice how their condition is gradually changing.

Even so, you can spot problems – pay special attention to these signs:

You are more stressed & emotional than normal

Sleepless people are less balanced. The thread of patience breaks much faster when you are tired than usual. So if you have been irritable a lot recently, then you may need more sleep.

You are less efficient

According to studies, sleep deprivation not only affects mood, but also greatly deteriorates thinking skills . Insufficient sleep is a major cause of lower productivity. This is especially true for school-age children .

You are constantly tired & powerless

Not surprisingly, fatigue is the clearest sign of insufficient sleep. Whenever you barely get out of bed or when you look in the mirror you can see black circles under the eyes, it is because of insufficient sleep.

You are more prone to disease

When the body can no longer rest, the entire immune system suffers. Chronic lack of sleep also promotes diabetes and cardiovascular diseases .

You eat more & gain weight

According to the latest scientific findings, those who sleep too little get fat faster. The hormonal balance of the body gets mixed up and there are more night cravings and sleep disorders.

In summary: Most of the time you can feel very clearly when your body is not feeling well. However, we often suppress unpleasant feelings for as long as possible – but if you look closely, you will quickly see that something is wrong.

If you get too little sleep on a regular basis, then you should be honest with yourself. Only then can you solve the problem. If you ignore the lack of sleep for too long, there are serious consequences for your health.

An overview of the consequences of lack of sleep

The list above shows very clearly that people cannot function properly with too little sleep.

  • The body suffers from a lack of regeneration & the hormonal balance (responsible for the immune system, well-being & body weight, among other things) is out of balance.
  • The psyche suffers as well. Lack of sleep makes you more prone to stress, depression & worry. In addition to productivity, the general quality of life also drops noticeably.

A vicious circle, because the symptoms often exacerbate the negative consequences. Overweight and depression exhaust the body’s energy balance – it always needs more rest.

These measures help against lack of sleep

A common piece of advice is: sleep more!

However, this is not very helpful: On the one hand, in addition to the length of sleep, the quality of sleep also counts and, on the other hand, in our hectic times it is no longer so easy to sleep long enough.

With the following tips you can still improve your sleeping habits noticeably.

THE insider tip for healthier sleep

If you were expecting a miracle pill from the Internet or the perfect mattress at this point, then I have to disappoint you.

One of the most effective ways to get better sleep is cheap and only takes a few minutes a day: a sleep diary .

By observing your own sleep, you can spot potential problems faster.

  • And don’t worry: you don’t have to do this forever. It only serves to observe and get to know your own sleeping habits for a few weeks.
  • It is best to take some time after waking up and write down the length of sleep and the quality of sleep (how do you feel after getting up? Did you sleep through the night?).

A normal notebook, a sleep app or just a document on the computer is sufficient for the notes.

The first step is often the most important

Of course, a sleep diary is not a miracle cure, but you can get a feel for how your sleep is doing.

  • Only when you know the problems can you search for clues and improve sleep hygiene with the measures in the next section.
  • The most beautiful bedroom is of no use if you have not laid the foundation for a healthy night’s sleep (proper sleep hygiene).

Only if you adhere to regular sleep times and develop an awareness of your own sleep will a comfortable mattress or the right alignment of the bed develop their full effect.

These sleeping habits ensure healthier sleep

Try the following measures to get enough sleep.

Make sleep a priority

Try to fall asleep & wake up at the same time regularly. The body loves the routine and can adjust to sleep.

Make a goal of going to bed on time for at least 1 week. If you have trouble falling asleep, there is an exciting book to read.

You don’t have to force sleep yourself, but you can help your body shut down.

Start your very own sleep ritual

Before you go to sleep, make a conscious decision to take the time to prepare for sleep. Relaxation exercises or autogenic training help to process the worries of the day.

You can also use the time to write a few thoughts in your (sleep) diary or to read an exciting book.

Optimize Your Diet For Healthy Sleep

Alcohol, coffee & nicotine disturb sleep & worsen the quality of bed rest. It is better not to eat too late and drink tea with soothing herbs in the evening.

The rest of the diet also affects the body (and thus the hormone balance). Too much sugar is stimulating and can even lead to nighttime cravings.

Provide the right environment

Your bedroom should be dark, quiet & cool enough to support sleep.

If you regularly wake up with tension, this may be due to the wrong pillow or a sagging mattress.

Note: You can find more tips for decorating the bedroom in our section .

Get enough exercise

Exercise in the fresh air keeps the body in balance and makes it easier to fall asleep on time. Sunlight during the day supports the internal clock (later in the evening a larger amount of the sleep hormone melatonin is released).

Leave everyday life outside

Do not be available 24 hours, but leave your cell phone outside of the bedroom. In addition to the bright light of the display , the constantly new notifications also keep us awake.

And: A conversation with your partner (or other sensual adventures) is far more sleep-inducing than turning on the TV.

Does better sleep hygiene always help ?

No, good sleep habits alone are no longer enough for many diseases or serious sleep disorders.

In such a case, only the advice of a specialist will usually help, who will diagnose the sleep problems individually and work out a solution together with you.

However, neglected sleep hygiene can worsen symptoms. In any case, you should do everything you can to actively improve your own sleep.

The sleep behavior of Germans

According to a representative survey , only a third of Germans sleep the recommended 7-9 hours. Many also find it difficult to switch off and take their worries with them into the bedroom.

Improper sleep hygiene is by far the most common reason for poor sleep – far ahead of all diseases & other reasons.

Do power naps and nap help?

Power napping has been the trend for several years, because it replenishes exhausted energy reserves during the day and makes you more productive.

However, this only applies if you sleep soundly at night.

  • If you regularly want to make up for a lack of sleep with an afternoon nap, this can quickly lead to the opposite effect.
  • The body no longer gets really tired in the evening & you have to struggle with sleeping problems at night.

Powernaps are therefore a great addition for anyone with enough sleep – if you have problems you should improve the rest of your sleep hygiene beforehand.

What other measures can you take to get more sleep?

A guide on the Internet can only help you to a certain extent with personal problems (and these are sleep disorders).

So educate yourself and find out about sleep. This page is the ideal starting point for this project.

Browse through Sleepwithjoy.com

In the Better Sleep category you will find numerous articles that deal with everything to do with healthy sleep. It’s best to start here to quickly increase your wellbeing.

Are you also interested in various furnishings, mattresses & helpers for your bed rest? Then find out here how to best furnish your bedroom .

If you are already struggling with sleep problems and would like to find out more about them, then you should browse through the Sleep Disorders section for detailed information.

We treat the latest scientific findings in the sleep research category – there are current studies that are easy to understand for everyone (and of course with many practical tips).

Summary: What to do if you don’t get enough sleep

At this point I will briefly summarize the most important things:

  1. In addition to the length of sleep, quality is also decisive for healthy sleep.
  2. The most common cause of lack of sleep is poor sleep hygiene. So start here.
  3. Get started today: keep a sleep diary for the next 2 weeks to learn more about your habits.
  4. Observing your own sleep is probably the most important step – this allows you to identify problems and work on solutions.

Your personal needs decide which measure will bring you the healthiest sleep.

  • If you notice by writing down your sleep times that you go to bed very irregularly, this is the place to start.
  • If, on the other hand, your sleep quality suffers from stress and worries, relaxation exercises such as meditation are recommended in the evening.

Stay informed

We publish interesting articles about sleep & health every week.

If these topics are important to you, then it is best to save this page in your bookmarks (key combination Ctrl + D ).

So you can not only quickly reach the measures from above, but also always stay informed about new findings for better sleep.

I hope this article has been useful. Please recommend it to your friends and acquaintances in order to also help other people with this knowledge.

I created Sleep Knowledge to share my interests and experiences on healthy sleeping with others. On this page I am therefore dealing with interesting questions about the optimal night’s sleep & everything else that goes with it.

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