Sleep deprivation is growing as 24/7 thinking and the Internet fosters the idea sleeping means we’ll miss something. According to Psychology Today, people are staying up later and sleep disturbances occur at younger ages. Sleep needs vary by age, health and other factors in each individual. And without enough sleep, the emotional centers of the brain are over 60 percent more reactive and over reacting to negative experiences. This  “hyperactive emotional response” occurs in sleep-deprived people. The executive center of the brain that normally keeps emotions under control, the prefrontal lobes, actually starts to shut down. That means couples having a conflict are more likely to over react to one another when they have sleep deprivation.

Besides our brain, our body gets out of rhythm affecting our heart, temperature, metabolism and other processes. We also get sick more often as our immunity goes down. Of course our mood is affected---insomnia is a key factor in depression.

Many people come into counseling with sleep loss. The good news is that medication is Not the only answer. Cognitive behavioral therapy for Insomnia helps with practices that encourage sleep and with relationships issues that cause/contribute to the tossing and turning at night. Anxiety often does not let a person initially fall asleep (initial insomnia) while depression (hopelessness) means you are awakened throughout the night. Relaxation, exercise and other measures are part of curing insomnia.

Sleep is not a luxury that we can optionally choose to take whenever we like. If you haven’t tried to increase your sleep, focus on some new options so that you regain vital rest. Enough sleep is a necessity.

Barbara Masssey LMFT

Parkplace Counseling Center

541-245-9610 ext. 3

Medford Oregon