How Lack of Sleep Impacts Us (And Ideas On Getting It Back)

Are you getting enough sleep? 

We all know that we need to sleep but making it a priority doesn’t always happen. By the end of this article, hopefully, you will think differently. 

How Does Lack of Sleep Affect Us?

Physically:

💤 Decreased collagen production (hello dark circles)

💤 Higher blood pressure

💤 Slower metabolism 

💤 “The Zombie Effect” (you appear sadder, swollen/red eyes, hanging eyelids, darker under-eye circles, pale skin, etc.)

Cognitively:

💤 Impaired reasoning

💤 Impaired problem-solving

💤 Impaired verbal abilities (aka “mom brain”)

Mentally:

💤 Low mood

💤 More stress

💤 Lack of emotional regulation (easily irritated)

What do all of those things mean exactly?

When you don’t sleep, you look, well, like you haven’t slept! You are running on a low battery. And you are probably super impatient and grumpy (or is that just me?).

What does that mean for a parent of young children? It means you aren’t giving your best to your kids, to your spouse, and yourself!

But knowing you need sleep and getting that sleep are two very different things. 

A Few Tips To Put You To Sleep

1. Make Sleep A Priority. You will never get sleep if you don’t make time for it. If you are constantly getting home late or you’re schedule requires you to wake up early, it might be time to simplify your schedule. Or at least adjust bedtimes/waketimes to ensure you are getting enough sleep.
2. Keep A Sleep Schedule. Stick to the same bedtime and wakeup time every single day, including weekends. It will help your body naturally know when to fall asleep and wake up.
3. Create A Sleep Sanctuary. Lower the room temperature in your room, keep the room nice and dark and turn on a sound machine.
4. Have A Bedtime Routine. This is another way to help your body naturally wind down. Sometimes taking a warm bath or shower can help send a signal to your brain that it’s time to go to sleep. Might be worth adding that to your nightly routine.
5. Take Melatonin. Taking melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime can help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Melatonin is non-habit forming and is naturally made within the body. Pay attention to the dosing amount. Here’s more information about melatonin in this blog. For adults, we recommend our Adult Sleep Melts.
6. Relax. If you find yourself getting anxious before bedtime, then you might need to figure out ways to calm down. Whether that’s writing down whatever’s on your mind in a journal, counting sheep, or reading (preferable not from a screen). You can even try some breathing exercises, like this one:

It’s called the 4-7-8 Breathing Method. 

• First, place the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth.
• Exhale completely through your mouth and make a whoosh sound.
• Close your mouth and inhale through your nose while mentally counting to four.
• Hold your breath and mentally count to seven.
• Open your mouth and exhale completely, making a whoosh sound and mentally counting to eight.
• Repeat this cycle at least 3x more. 

Putting Sleep To Rest

If you want to be the best version of yourself, then sleep should be your number one priority. When you sleep, you look better, you feel better, and you think more clearly. 

With jobs, kids, pets, and life, sometimes sleep slips away from us. 

Never underestimate the power of a nap. Stick to 20-30 mins for the best results!

You know what you need to do, now go get some rest!