Sleep expert reveals how to know when your exhaustion is something more serious than ‘just being tired’

People are severely sleep-deprived. 

And because being tired is so normalized, people are sometimes unable to discern between being ‘just tired’ and being dangerously sleep insufficient. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that while adults typically require seven to nine hours of sleep per night, and estimate that one in three American adults report regularly getting less than six hours.

‘This cultural devaluation of sleep reinforces unhealthy sleep behaviors,’ psychologist and sleep expert Dr. Leah Kaylor told the DailyMail.com.

Kaylor explained that this is the exact reason why we’re so bad at judging how impaired we really are.

‘People underestimate their level of fatigue and overestimate their functioning,’ she said.

But she warned that even slight sleep deprivation can slow your response time as much as being legally intoxicated. 

‘A study revealed that staying awake for 17 to 19 hours – a typical day for many – can impair cognitive function to the same extent as having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05 percent, which is just under the legal driving limit in many US states,’ she explained.

And if you’re thinking that this isn’t you – you might want to think again.

Kaylor explained that regularly getting less sleep than the recommended seven to nine hours a night constitutes as being sleep deprived.

Some people assume that their bodies are just ‘used to’ getting four to five hours of sleep a night – but this isn’t necessarily true. 

In fact, Kaylor said that these people might not realize just how much their daily functioning is impacted by their sleep deprivation. 

‘Sleep deprivation has the ability to touch everything in a person’s life – cognitive, emotional, physical, and social,’ she said. 

‘Even one night of poor sleep can impair working memory, sustained attention, emotional regulation, and physical coordination.’

She said that these consequences can lead to long-term negative affects over time – like poor job performance, struggling with concentration, decision-making, and productivity.

Plus, cognitive impairment leads to higher rates of workplace and car accidents – essentially making sleep loss a public safety issue.  

And on a person level, sleep deprivation is essentially damaging to both your physical health and emotional health. 

‘Emotionally, sleep-deprived individuals are more prone to mood instability and irritability, which can strain interpersonal relationships and reduce resilience to stress,’ Kaylor explained. 

‘Physiologically, insufficient sleep weakens the body’s defenses, leading to impaired immune function and slower healing from illness or injury.’

Additionally, chronic sleep loss can eventually lead to cardiovascular, metabolic, and hormonal issues which can cause conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.

So how do you know when you’re not just tired but actually dangerously impaired due to sleep deprivation? 

Kaylor explained that both behavioral and physiological symptoms can be a clue here. 

‘One of the most concerning indicators is the occurrence of micro-sleeps – brief lapses in attention lasting only a few seconds, during which the brain involuntarily enters a sleep state even though the eyes remain open,’ she dished. 

‘Microsleep are so incredibly dangerous, especially when one is behind the wheel or operating heavy machinery.’

She said that mood shifts – like irritability, tearfulness, or emotional outbursts – can be an indicator that you’re sleep deprived. 

When it comes to cognitive consequences, Kaylor explained that your brain struggles to operate under prolonged sleep debt, which can lead to issues like forgetfulness and difficulty making decisions. 

And if you’re craving caffeine or sugar throughout the day – that’s also a sign that you’re sleep deprived.   

Another red flag is if you find yourself falling asleep as soon as you lay down. 

Kaylor explained that while some people think this is a sign of healthy sleep efficiency, it’s actually an indicator of sleep deprivation because it reflects severe accumulated sleep debt. 

And if you spend your awake time feeling ‘wired and tired’ – once again, you’re experiencing symptoms of sleep deprivation. 

Kaylor said that this is a paradoxical state where the body is physically exhausted but the mind is overstimulated, usually because of heightened stress hormones like cortisol.   

You might think that sleep deprivation is just something that’s inescapable, but Kaylor emphasized the importance of getting enough sleep. 

She said that if you’re ever in doubt of just how crucial sleep it, think of some of the most major disasters in history – Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster, Three Mile Island Nuclear Disaster, Challenger Space Shuttle Explosion, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill – and remind yourself that they were all linked to lack of sleep.