Are there effective coping strategies for managing sleep deprivation?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 25 year old male. I am not getting good sleep at night. May I know the short-term and long-term consequences of sleep deprivation on physical and mental health? How does it affect cognitive function, mood, and overall daily functioning? What is the recommended amount of sleep for adults? Are there effective coping strategies for managing sleep deprivation? What lifestyle changes should be followed to improve sleep quality? Please help by answering these questions to have a good sleep at night.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your problem and situation. Sleep deprivation can have both short-term and long-term consequences on physical and mental health. In the short term, it can lead to decreased cognitive function, impaired memory, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, irritability, and increased stress levels. Over time, chronic sleep deprivation is linked to a higher risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, weakened immune system, and mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.

I suggest you follow the below guidelines to deal with your problem. It will help you to keep your mental health good:

Exercise daily for 30 to 45 minutes, like at least going for a walk. It will uplift your mood and reduce anger outbursts.
Meditate for 20 minutes daily. Sit in one place in a comfortable position, and try to concentrate on your normal breathing. Do not stop or force yourself to stop your thoughts. Just let it be. This will help you to relax.
Eat healthy home-cooked foods, and avoid junk foods.
Spend quality time with friends and family daily or do video calls if you are living away from your family.
Spend time on creative hobbies like reading good books, writing journals, painting, drawing, and learning new skills or language or musical instruments.
Sleep enough for seven to eight hours daily. You must not do any other activities in bed. Wear loose and comfortable clothes for sleep. Take light food at night or dinner at least 3 hours before sleep.
You can take a maximum of 20 minutes of nap a day. Do not use a mobile, television, or laptop at least half an hour before sleep.
Try to maintain an adequate temperature in your room, which means not so cold, not so hot. Have a proper bed and pillow. Make sure there is no noise or disturbance at night. You can drink warm milk with turmeric before sleeping.
Avoid tobacco, alcohol, or any substance abuse.

If you still have symptoms that persist after following the advice for four to six weeks, then you need to start medications for a short duration.

I hope this answers your query.

I suggest you check the CBC (complete blood profile), thyroid profile, vitamin B12 and vitamin D3 RBS (random blood sugar), and polysomnography.

Revert in case of queries.

Regards.