Sleep Deprivation

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SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Constant daytime sleepiness is the hallmark of chronic sleep deprivation. But some of us are so accustomed to plodding by on too little sleep that we don't even recognize it.

Making up a sleep deficit

Listen to your internal clock

You can get too little sleep if you go to bed too early or too late. Go to bed when you feel tired-not before or after.

Shift with your shift

If you work a night or rotating shift, you're forced to sleep during the day, when your body clock is set on alert, and that makes quality sleep harder to come by. If you work nights, ask for a permanent, not a rotating, shift if it's at all possible. OR ask for a shift that rotates from days to evenings to nights rather than the reverse-it's easier than trying to a night-to-evening-to-day schedule.

Pregnant? Sleep on your side

Nine months is a long time to go without a good night's sleep. Yet many women find it difficult to get comfortable in bed when they're expecting, especially during those last few months of pregnancy. Obstetricians suggest sleeping on one side with a leg propped up on a pillow.