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Addiction to Sleep Deprivation
- Details
- Category: Symptoms
You've probably heard me, read me ranting, cajoling, discussing, pleading, begging, joking and lecturing on the importance of getting adequate sleep, like eight hours a night on a regular basis. I'm thrilled to see this film come to the air waves. Please watch it.
*pixWhat it may not say, and I see this often in people working through their recovery from an eating disorder, is that sleep deprivation is an alteration in consciousness and can be addictive like any substance that alters your consciousness.
Being sleep deprived is not just about lack of time in a busy schedule. It's about a dependence on a hazy, warm, vague feeling of drifting that takes you away from anxiety and dims your cares. Sleep deprivation is as dangerous as any addictive drug and may require conscientious effort to go through withdrawal on your way to an adequate sleep routine.
Please watch the film.
*pix Created: December 31, 1894. In public domain. Please notice the depth of rest, serenety and peace in these sleeping children. It's what many adults yearn for in their lives. Please give this gift to yourself by getting eight hours of sleep every night.
Give yourself a week of adequate sleep. Then, let us know how you did it and how adequate sleep affects your day.
Comments
I'm guilty of staying up later than I should and therefore getting less sleep than I'd like to. I don't think it's about an addiction to the effects of being sleep deprived though. I have always functioned well on less sleep than most people require, it takes a severe lack of sleep before I'm feeling groggy and like my functioning is impaired, although I have noticed in the last few years as I'm getting older, that the threshold for what I consider a severe lack of sleep has moved, and I am affected more easily than I used to be.
The thing that keeps me up beyond my bed time is just the feeling that comes with being up late - my house is in order, my children are asleep, the chores are done, nobody is going to phone or knock on my door, I don't feel any pressure to be doing anything "more productive"...it's just pure, relaxing "me time".
Hi Shh,
"Me time" is sweet. We need it. I'm glad you are finding a way to have it in your life.
You've shared much with us on this site. I know some of the ongoing stress and challenges you face. So yes, you need me time. You also need sleep nourishment so you can be at optimum functioning as you deal with your complex life.
I just learned that the brain acquires metabolic toxins just from being awake. During sleep the brain cells shrink creating more space for those pesky toxins to get swept away.
I hope you are giving your body time to sweep out those "mt's" from your brain so you are as fit as you can be for your days.
J
Thanks Joanna
I actually made it to bed at a decent time last night - I think I was a bit more mindful of the time after posting on here, I also think that as the weather has suddenly got colder here, being snuggled up under the duvet has gained more appeal.
I need a bit of time to readjust to sleeping more again, so I was awake very early today after my usual amount of sleep, but I had the luxury of not having to get up for a couple of hours, and being able to kind of half-doze
Hopefully, I'll be able to carry it on now!
Hi Shh,
Glad you are moving into earlier sleep time. Please don't hope. Commit. Gradually work your way to a sleep schedule your body accepts that includes eight hours. So much in life improves when you do.
And please, don't worry about "wasting time by sleeping." You are much more efficient in how you use time when you are nourished by good sleep.
Nice to find that special "me time" you like in the morning after you sleep.
J