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    Why Are People Grumpy In The Morning

    Why Are People Grumpy In The Morning

    grumpy-people

    It’s about sleep. If the body does not get regular rest then a host of issues can occur.

    “You are subject to a whole range of problems and one of them is with mood disorders,” said Wayne Woodward, sleep medicine educator at the Intermountain Healthcare Utah Valley Hospital Sleep Center.

    Woodward said additionally sleep disruption can all interfere with our cognitive throughput – the ability to see something and react appropriately to the situation. Even the ability to think clearly is altered.

    Get adequate sleep

    There is a reason that sleep experts preach the importance of getting enough rest. There are health problems including obesity, higher risk of diabetes and also for strokes. 

    “If you are not getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night then you are not getting adequate sleep,” Woodward said.

    RELATED: 5 Ways to Get More Sleep

    There are also similar dangers with getting too much sleep as well. So it is vital to focus keeping rest under at most nine hours on a daily basis for adults.

    Get quality sleep

    It’s not just enough to make sure you get to bed at a reasonable hour. It also matter the quality of sleep that you get, which affects your body and mood.

    “We start to worry about the quality of sleep which is where sleep disorders come into the picture,” Woodward said.

    Sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome are all major sleep disorders. If you feel like you get enough sleep but still exhausted, talk to a doctor to see if there are underlying issues.

    Caffeine helps – and hurts

    There have been numerous studies done to see the effectiveness of caffeine on your body. The majority of the studies, Woodward pointed out, will help give you a mood uptick with the use.

    Caffeine provides a two hour alertness effect for your mind and body. But it also stays in your system for 24 hours – including four to six hours half-life. So if you are utilizing caffeine later in the day then it’s a good chance it still be effective to a point and disrupt your sleep later.

    The problem with caffeine is that it also comes with a dependency factor. Some people immediately interpret tired with needing caffeine instead of focusing on getting more rest. Caffeine also has an accommodation factor – meaning at some point a single cup of coffee won’t have the same effect it used to as you need a second cup.

    Power nap

    The afternoon siesta will definitely help power your brain and lose the grumpiness.

    “If you find yourself really drowsy, sleepy at work, the best thing that’s recommended out there is short naps. That 20 minute power nap is a real thing. It effectively pushes back your sleep drive,” Woodward said.

    For more information on the benefits of sleep, visit http://www.intermountainlivewell.org.