5 Signs You're Lacking Sufficient Sleep

One restless night is exhausting enough. If you feel fatigued every day, there’s a good chance your quality of sleep is lacking somehow. This can lead to symptoms during your waking hours, from brain fog to irritability. The longer you go without proper sleep, the more stressed your body becomes.  

At SLENT, with locations in Mandeville, Slidell, and Hammond, Louisiana, our otolaryngology specialists can help you overcome conditions like sleep apnea for better, more restful nights.

5 signs of insufficient sleep

Just because you’re getting 7-8 hours of time in bed per night doesn’t mean you’re safe from the effects of sleep deprivation. If your quality of sleep is poor, it won’t be restful enough to benefit you. Here are five signs that your sleep isn’t as restful as it should be.  

1. Daytime sleepiness and lethargy 

Fatigue is to be expected after a restless night, but daytime sleepiness can disrupt more than your day. If you regularly drive, operate machinery, or care for children or patients, it could put other peoples’ lives at risk. 

2. Low mood and motivation 

There’s a well-researched link between lack of sleep and depression, and lethargy can make it difficult to summon any motivation or good mood. If you’re struggling to get through your days, it might be a sign that your nights aren’t restful enough. 

3. Poor concentration and brain fog

It can be difficult to tell when your mental faculties are impaired. If you often find yourself losing your train of thought, seeking for answers you should know, or blanking at simple questions, there’s a good chance your brain isn’t well-rested enough to operate properly. 

4. Anxiety and irritability 

Waking up on the wrong side of the bed once in a while is normal. Persistent mood swings, anxiety, and irritability are not. To avoid feeling touchy and tired, you need to improve your quality of sleep and soothe those raw nerves.  

5. Clumsiness or lack of coordination 

Just as your brain fogs up and your body becomes lethargic, your movements become less coordinated without restful sleep. This can cause minor mishaps such as clumsiness and fumbles, or major issues like injuries and accidents. 

Diagnosing the cause 

Noticing the signs of insufficient sleep is just the first step. From there, you need to diagnose what’s disrupting your sleep. 

One of the most common causes of poor sleep is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which affects an estimated 10-30% of the population. It’s more common among men than women, especially those with excess weight, family history of OSA, and narrowed airways or nasal passages. 

OSA occurs when the soft tissues at the back of the throat relax too much during sleep and close off your airway, causing you to gasp and catch your breath. This happens while you’re sleeping, interrupting your sleep rhythm and exhausting you without even rousing you from your dreams.

Other symptoms of sleep apnea include snoring, nocturia (frequent nighttime urination), morning headaches, and dry mouth. Of course, the most common reason to suspect sleep apnea is a bed partner who complains about your snores, snorts, and gasps during the night.

If you’re struggling with sleep deprivation, the team at SLENT can evaluate your sleep and determine whether sleep apnea is to blame. To learn more and to schedule a consultation, call the location closest to you, or visit the contact page for more options.