When Does Poor Sleep Behavior Become a Crisis? Women Weigh In

A bad night of sleep can lead to a bad morning, a bad afternoon, and a bad day overall. And a good night of sleep can lead to the exact opposite, creating greater productivity, satisfaction, and happiness at work.

Lack of sleep can make you feel groggy, moody, and even unwell. It can be caused by a number of things, including your physical health, your mental health, the amount of stress in your life, your exercise schedule, or the type of substances you put in your body.

“This is the worst. My sleep behavior is a health crisis,” she said. “I started a new job 6 months ago and I feel like I haven't slept since. I'm consistently sleeping less than 5 hours a night and I can tell my mental health is declining. My energy is shot and I feel my creativity is slipping away. I LOVE my job. But maybe a little too much?”

A few other FGB’ers responded to the woman in distress to let her know she is not alone and to offer their own advice on sleep deprivation.

One respondent recommended reducing electronic use in the bedroom.

“I had a long stage of not sleeping and it was almost immediately fixed when I made sure my laptop and cellphone remained outside of my bedroom. I got an alarm clock vs. relying on my phone and it was a game changer,” she said.

And WebMD agrees with this advice, also recommending reducing phone use before bedtime, as well as your television and all other bedroom electronics.

“If you must use bedroom electronics, choose those illuminated with red light, which is better for sleep than blue light,” the site says.

WebMD also advises those with trouble sleeping to “give it up.”

“If you don’t fall asleep within 30 minutes, sleep specialists recommend you get up and leave your bedroom or read. Then return to your bed to sleep when you feel tired again,” the site reads.

Another FGB’er responded to the user to recommend dedicating end-of-the-day time at work to mindfulness.

“Have you thought about maybe taking time away from work towards the end of your day in order to create some mental/emotional separation?” she asked.

The foundation also advises those with issues sleeping to steer clear of alcohol and coffee, as well as creating a strict sleeping schedule.

“Lying in bed awake can contribute to sleeplessness by creating an unhealthy association between your bedroom and being awake,” their website explains.

“Commit to getting out of bed whenever you've been awake for 20 minutes or more, then going to a different part of your home to ‘reset’ with a different restful activity before trying again. Likewise, consider restricting your sleep hours.”