When circumstances have caused you not to be able to get the sleep
that your body needs, you won't be at your best during waking hours
and this can result in unfortunate outcomes if there are
misunderstandings. For example, your mind won't be as alert as
normal when you're sleep deprived, and you might slur your words and
give the impression you're drunk or disinterested. Arguments can
result when you don't respond with your usual alacrity and
attentiveness to other people at work, in social settings, during
sports training, or any other time.
It's important to catch up on the sleep as soon as possible but in the
meantime, controlling your temper is important for getting through the
hours until you can sleep, and keeping your reputation intact. Here
are some suggestions for doing just that.
!! Steps !!
Be aware of the possible effects of sleep deprivation. Sleep
deprivation can mount up over a series of poor nights of sleep or
can be caused by not getting sleep for one night. Your metabolism,
age, personal willpower and other personal makeup will all determine
how you respond to sleep deprivation. From the following list of
problems associated with sleep deprivation, you'll see why it's easy
to lose your temper when sleep deprived. The possible problems
include:[1]
* Increased susceptibility to accidents (due to poor coordination
and sleepiness)
* Increased susceptibility to colds
* Rapid aging
* Emotional problems (loss of control, anxiety, panic, depression,
etc.)
* Irritable, moodiness, reduced ability to cope with stress
* Important information can't be retained
* Poor judgment skills, poor concentration, and inability to make
decisions
* In the long-term, sleep deprivation can lead to obesity, heart
disease, diabetes, and death.
* Accept that you need sleep and that it is your sleep deprivation
driving your temper. Acknowledging that you are suffering from
sleep deprivation can help to calm your nerves and can refocus
your perspective, allowing you to let life's little moments roll
off "like water off a duck's back". If you're struggling to
maintain composure and not accepting that it's because of lack of
sleep, it can be too easy to talk to yourself negatively and to
blame yourself for not getting things right, which can put you in
a foul mood.
Tell people. It's hard for people to know what's wrong if you're
valiantly struggling to keep it to yourself. It's best to just let
people know that you haven't had enough sleep and that you feel both
tired and out of sorts. It will help them to be more understanding
of what you're experiencing and they're more likely to give you a
little latitude if you do manage to bite their heads off at some
point (not that that is acceptable, of course). In turn, you'll
relax a little more knowing you don't have to make a show of not
feeling sleepy or being coherent.
* If you're know for having a sense of humor, you could joke about
it a little, saying something like "I haven't slept well all week,
so today you'd better stay away from me in case objects start
flying from my direction when I've really reached my limits."
Otherwise, a simple, "The cat kept me up all last night having
kittens, I've had barely an hour's sleep and I know today's going
to be rough. So I'm just going to lie low and if you need me,
please be understanding if I'm a bit grumpy today."
* If you operate machinery, drive, or do highly complex work and
you're sleep deprived, talk to your supervisor on arrival at work.
You may be set lighter duties for the day or sent home because the
risk of accidents is too high. If it's clear that this is a result
of a build-up of poor sleep, you may also be asked to seek medical
help and be given leave to deal with it.
Take breaks. Rather than doing your usual speedy, rushed
performance, take it easy. Slink around the back of everyone and
keep under the radar as much as possible, doing the bare minimum
and taking regular breaks to recuperate.
* If at all possible, grab a quick power nap. A 10 to 20 minute nap
at your desk or in the work sick room can do wonders to perk you
up for a few more hours. Try not to nap longer than 20 minutes, as
that can leave some people feeling groggy and even more
irritable.[2]
* Take walks in the fresh air; five to ten minutes walking will be
enough to wake you up a bit more and refresh you, whatever the
weather.
Slow down when responding to people. Instead of responding to people
by snapping, grouching, or blasting their heads off, simply slow
down. Let the person know that you need a moment or two. As well,
don't be afraid to ask them to repeat or rephrase whatever they've
asked you so that you can digest what they're telling you.
* Say something like: "I just need a second (or minute) to think",
to buy yourself time to think over their request, demand, or
information. This time to "clear your head" will ease any tension
you feel, as well as blocking the desire to react with irritation
or anger.
* Be careful in meetings. It can be easy to doze off in a meeting
when you're sleep deprived. Ask a trusted coworker to nudge you
awake if this happens, or to kindly shield you by strategically
sitting between you and the boss or presenter. If it is noticed
that you've fallen asleep, it is not only a bad look but it could
set you off if you get asked questions and find you're unable to
answer them. If that does happen, just smile and quickly excuse
yourself as needing to visit the bathroom.
Try to keep your sense of humor and let it triumph over grumpiness.
Instead of being explosive, aim for being a little like the happy
drunk. Pick a word you think sounds funny and say it over and over
until it loses all meaning; or draw mustaches on every face in the
newspaper. Keep yourself in a good mood or frame of mind as much as
possible. While some people might think your behavior is a little
shallow, it's better than being considered angry, tetchy, and
someone to keep well away from. Avoid driving. This is the time to
take that "taxi for a rainy day", to catch public transportation, or
to call in a favor for a lift home. Sleepy, drowsy, and
sleep-deprived drivers have accidents – according to the National
Highway Transportation Safety Association (USA), sleepy drivers are
involved in as many crashes as drunk drivers, often with more
violent consequences because there is no chance to try to react when
you're asleep.[3] If you are driving and notice the following signs,
pull over where it's safe to do so and either call someone to
collect you, or have a nap (if it's safe to do so):[4]
* Your eyes keep blinking and you find it hard to keep them open,
and/or your head keeps drooping and you find it hard to keep up.
* You're yawning a lot, and/or rubbing your eyes.
* You're drifting across lanes or hitting the rumble strips.
* You suddenly realize you don't remember the last few miles, miss
turn-offs, or you startle, and realize you've just been snoozing.
Prioritize sleep until you catch up. Your mood swings and negative
thinking won't improve and stabilize until you've caught up on your
sleep. As such, it's important to place getting adequate sleep as
your number one priority until it's restored again. If that means
missing favorite TV shows, meet-ups with friends, or double-shifts,
then so be it until you're back to your normal self again, otherwise
everything suffers.
* It might help to keep a sleep diary for two weeks. This will help
you to see where you're losing out on sleep and letting other
activities creep in instead.
* Limit caffeine intake; it not only reduces your ability to sleep
but it can increase your irritability when combined with sleep
deprivation. Paul McKenna recommends ceasing caffeinated drinks
after 2pm each day.[5]
* Switch off the TV one hour before going to bed and finish eating
at least 3 hours before bedtime.[6]
* Keep your bedroom dark at night and free of all distractions.
Having distractions can cause you to feel irritable if you can't
choose between stopping them and feeling obliged to go to sleep.
This is why it's important to keep your bedroom for sleep, not for
gadget play.
* Get help if you're unable to sleep regularly and find that you're
permanently sleep deprived. Becoming habituated to being fuzzy,
lacking concentration, unable to make decisions, and never feeling
optimal as a result of sleep deprivation is not normal. It impacts
you, your work, and every person who lives, works, and plays with
you. You're an accident waiting to happen because your judgment,
reaction skills, and concentration are all impaired, and this is
not living; it's sleep-walking. Seek immediate medical help
because there might be a serious underlying disorder such as
apnea, narcolepsy, hypersomnia, or a disease. Take heart that
sleep deprivation can usually be fixed and you won't recognize
yourself after treatment.
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
* If using naps during the day, limit them to 20 minutes so as not
to impact your ability to sleep during the night.[7]
* There are people who specialize in sleep medicine, if your sleep
deprivation situation is really bad.
!! Warnings !!
* People might think you're drunk when you're sleep deprived; this
can be reputation-damaging in work and social contexts.
* In the USA alone, sleepy drivers cause over 100,000 accidents
every year, and sleep drivers are a threat to themselves, to
passengers, to other drivers, and to pedestrians.[8]
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Keep Yourself Calm During Tough Times
* How to Stay in a Good Mood
* How to Not Let Your Emotions Get the Best of You
* How to Deal With an Adult's Temper Tantrum
* How to Avoid Sleepiness at Work
!! Sources And Citations !!
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
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