With the way that life has been lately, sleep is one of those things we sometimes take for granted. This happens because we know it’s always there and it’s free! But if we are busy with something very important or going through life changes, that may take away from our sleep. When this happens, we often feel tired but not ready to sleep due to the stress of leaving something unfinished.

To put it honestly, everyone needs sleep to survive. It may feel like an inconvenience to go to sleep if you are very busy, but it is a necessity. On the bright side, sleep has so many amazing benefits that you might not be aware of. In this blog post, we will talk about how much sleep you should be getting per night and how a lack of sleep can affect you.

How much sleep per night

When thinking about how much sleep per night that you need, you must first consider your age. If you are a child between 3-12 years old, you should get 10 hours per night at the minimum. As a teenager, you should be getting around 9 hours of sleep per night. If you are an adult, seven to eight hours is the ideal amount of time that you need for your body to function best. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that you will meet the minimum amount of sleep needed per night.

If you happen to get a less than ideal amount of sleep once in a while, it is a good idea to attempt to make this lost sleep up. You can do this by going to sleep earlier in the subsequent days and giving your body the rest that it needs. It is a good idea to establish a sleep routine that is consistent. Try to wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day to create a good rhythm. This will benefit you very much and likely minimize the effects of lack of sleep. Shop our wonderful selection of mattresses to find the perfect night’s sleep!

How a lack of sleep can affect you

Memory issues

When you don’t get enough sleep, it is very likely that you will experience memory issues. You may find yourself repeating questions or having to ask the same question more than once because your brain was not functioning at full capacity while doing so. By getting only a little bit of sleep, you are not allowing your brain to make connections that help you remember and understand new information. This can affect many aspects of your life, including your relationships, work, schooling, and much more.

Loss of productivity

There are many ways how a lack of sleep can affect how productive you are. If you were to get only a few hours of sleep, how well do you think your body would function? Likely it will not be at its best and there are many studies that actually support this claim.

According to the National Sleep Foundation’s website (sleepfoundation.org), their research has shown how lack of sleep can affect productivity in different ways. One example is how it can affect your mood, which in turn affects how you interact with others. If you are not feeling up to par due to lack of sleep, this will be apparent by how much irritation or frustration shows on your face and how fast your temper may flare-up. This will result in people being less willing to put up with how you are acting and they will most likely demand that you go to sleep!

Weakened immune system

If you are not getting enough sleep, it is very likely that your immune system will be weakened. While there have not been many studies on how much of a link exists between the two, everyone knows how important good health is especially when dealing with stress or other negative factors in life. You can prevent this from happening by making sure to get an adequate amount of sleep each night.

Lack of focus

When you are tired, it is very likely that your ability to be able to stay focused will decrease significantly. This can occur when you only get a little bit of sleep and should not happen if you’re getting the perfect amount per night. It also helps by making sure that your brain does not tire out before the end of your day. If you know how much sleep that you need and attempt to get this amount each night, it will be very likely that during work or school, your focus levels will remain high throughout.

Mood changes

Everyone knows how much mood changes can affect how you feel overall. If someone is in a bad mood, it will be hard for them to focus on anything else and vice versa. What happens when you’re sleep deprived? You are likely going to experience more of those negative emotions that reflect how your day may go downhill quickly. By getting enough sleep, you may notice how your mood tends to improve. This is because the brain has had time to rest and reset itself for another day of work or school. As a result of this better state of mind, it will be much easier to focus on what needs to get done during the day ahead!

Weight gain

If you are not getting enough sleep, how likely is it that your weight will increase? Studies have shown how lack of sleep can cause people to experience more cravings than usual. If these cravings result in an increased amount of foods consumed, then there’s a good chance that this person could gain some extra pounds over time. This may also be due to how lack of sleep can make you more tired and less likely to engage in physical activity.