Is Sleep Deprivation Costing You Your Health?

In our busy lives, sleep is often the first to get shortchanged. Sleep deprivation is a serious health issue affecting one in four moms. Half of those people have a diagnosable sleep disorder.

Busy moms realize that the only time they can find for themselves is late at night. After the kids have been put to sleep and prepping done for the busy morning ahead, women finally find their peaceful time alone. Staying up late into the night, these women enjoy their hours of bliss catching up on reading, updating their social media and checking for bingo games. However, what they do not realize is that the accumulated sleep debt could be costing them their health. It is a major cause of loss of productivity, absenteeism, workplace accidents and hundreds of automobile collisions every day.

Here are some tips for busy moms to tackle sleep deprivation.

• Most adults need seven to nine hours’ sleep a night. Live by the rule that you need this much of shut-eye.

• Exercise regularly, but never within three hours of bed. That will keep you energized for hours snatching away your sleep.

• Don’t drink alcohol before bed, which may cause predawn wakefulness.

• Realize that the caffeine in coffee, tea, chocolate or cola can affect you for 6 to 10 hours. Time those drinks accordingly.

• Avoid nicotine, which is a stimulant.

• Don’t eat a heavy meal or drink a lot of liquid before bed.

• Keep your room cool and your feet and hands warm; wear socks if you need to, in order to ensure a peaceful sleep.

• Turn the clock so you can’t see the time if you awake in the middle of the night.

• If you must read or play mobile games etc. before going to sleep, make sure to set an alarm for a cut-off hour. Some of the latest phones have a built-in notification to remind you of your sleeping hour when you are still working on your phone. Use that feature and surrender willfully to the alarm.