Poor sleep and sleep deprivation are serious health hazards on a global level. We have talked about this many times and cannot express this enough. The current 24-hour society might prevent us from getting sufficient sleep, so we might start looking for aids to compensate. A new study from the University of Michigan shows that caffeine is not the answer to this.
The relation between caffeine and sleep deprivation
People who chronically do not sleep will have a higher risk of depression, mood swings and other mood disorders . Besides that, good quality of sleep impacts the immune system and the bodies ability to heal itself.
While there are a variety of factors contributing to the world’s sleep problems, including the modern lifestyle itself, researchers have found an important caffeine and sleep deprivation connection. That connection lies, in part, in the half-life of caffeine, or how long it takes the body to process half of the caffeine a person has consumed.
This half life ranges between four and six hours. Depending on the amount and timing of caffeine intake, consuming caffeine can result in delayed sleep, as well as disruption of the deep, restorative sleep stages. It can also make existing sleep disorders, including insomnia, worse. Waking up tired yet again leads many to reach for their caffeinated beverage of choice to help them through another day.
Caffeine consumption is most associated with coffee and tea. We often forget that soda’s contain caffeine as well and are often consumed until late at night.
People who feel tired often use soda’s, energy drinks and coffee to keep them going through out the day. This is a vicious circle that keeps people from falling asleep at night and getting a good nights rest.
Do not adres the symptoms, adres the problem
It’s time to recognize that getting proper sleep is essential self-care with a vital role in your overall physical and mental health and well-being. The very best solution to the effects of sleep deprivation is to make getting enough sleep a real priority in your life.
For many people, of course, that is easier said than done. After all, life is demanding, especially when calculating professional and family demands and responsibilities. However, taking a clear-eyed look at your priorities can help. Consider your long-term health against what those extra hours at work may provide materially and whether or not those social obligations are really worth sacrificing your sleep over. Simplifying your lifestyle and de-cluttering your life can help you to find the time for better sleep.
Source: www.chronobiology.com
