Sleep deprivation is a sickness that mainly adults deal with, though is still seen in various age groups. I chose this topic because studies show that a healthy individual should get about 8-10 hours of sleep each night. Myself only get 6 to 7 hours at the most. Getting this much sleep can really run me down after a while.
I think if I could get more sleep and experience less drowsiness it would help me function better in school. To get help for a sleep deprivation I could go to a psychologist such as Harrison Psychology Associates at 6195 West Quaker Rd. in Orchard Park. They could give me very essential information on how to develop better sleeping patterns, or possibly prescribe a medication such as melatonin, which helps you overcome insomnia (which is sleep deprivation). I could try to stabilize my personal habits by cutting down on caffeine or other stimulants during the day, though caffeine does help me cope with my lack of sleep. I could start an exercise program for myself that would help me cope with my problem by making me more fatigued when my bedtime comes around.
If I do not deal with and change my sleeping patterns I could experience various negative consequences such as mood swings or mental blocks. You may also develop stress and anxiety from schoolwork or if you have a job due to your lack of sleep. Because of the stress and anxiety problems I could then develop a form of depression. Sleep walking and nightmares are usually other problems that people who inhibit insomnia experience. To help me surpass my sleeping problems I could try reading at night. Studies have shown that reading at night makes an individual more sleepy before bedtime.
I could try to make my sleeping environment a more enjoyable place where I would feel more comfortable sleeping in. I could do that by playing soft music to calm me down and helping me forget my daily frustrations. Or on the weekends I could try to regulate my sleeping pattern by not going to bed really late and then sleeping in to a time unrealistic to my school schedule. Usually on the weekends I wake up around noon so when I have to go to bed Sunday night I can’t fall asleep till really late which falters my whole sleeping schedule for the school week. To track my progress I will keep a sleeping journal of how I slept each night and approximately what time I went to bed each night.
I will also record what types of food I ate and any physical work I performed each day. Then I will compare all the results and see what is most effecting sleep schedule. Hopefully I will find what keeps me up all night and make a plan to change that behavior so I can have a healthy rest each night.