By Dr. David Samadi

You may think you know if you're sleep deprived, but would you really? Sure, a lack of energy, fatigue, or wanting to fall asleep at work can be clues that you're not sleeping well. However, there are other telltale signs of too many restless nights without enough sleep. These signs can show up in how you look and feel (other than tired). Here are 5 ways your body is telling you: you need more sleep!

1. Your skin looks dull and dry.

The skin, the largest organ on your body, has a way of telling the world, “I’m lacking enough sleep!” Studies have shown a link between too few hours of sleep and acne breakouts, which may be related to how sleep controls hormones in the body. The moisture levels in your skin will also suffer, resulting in drier skin. Dull, lifeless skin is another result of not getting enough sleep. Every day, dead skin cells need to be shed. It’s while you sleep that surface skin cells repair themselves. Dark circles may not always be due to lack of sleep, but sleep deprivation can cause them to appear or become more prominent. Another reason to give your body a chance to refresh and renew itself after a good night’s sleep is to reduce signs of aging. When you’re sleep deprived, your skin takes the brunt of it with visible signs of aging, such as crow’s feet and fine lines.

2. Your eyes look tired.

Look into your eyes, and what do you see? If what you see looking back at you is redness, puffiness, dark circles, and bags under your eyes, it's most likely caused by a lack of sleep. Again, when you lack enough rest, your body loses hormonal control and tissue repair during deep sleep.

3. You have gained weight.

Not getting enough sleep can cause weight gain. If you are chronically sleep deprived, your sleepiness may register as hunger. Often, when we feel sluggish, we tend to reach for food to give us an energy boost. If this feeling of sluggishness occurs multiple times a day, our caloric intake quickly increases. There are also two hormones, leptin and ghrelin, whose levels are affected by sleep deprivation. These two hormones are critical in determining whether we may gain too much weight. Leptin tells us when to stop eating, while ghrelin tells us when it is time to eat. Lack of sufficient sleep causes leptin levels to drop while ghrelin levels to rise. Here's a twist on having a sleep debt: it can alter the chemicals in our body that are causing our body to lose weight.

brain that make people unable to resist snacks, especially sweet and salty foods. A 2015 study in the journal Sleep found that sleep-deprived people had 33% higher levels of a chemical compound that increases pleasurable sensations from food, especially high-fat sweet or salty foods. Unfortunately, sweet and salty foods tend to be higher in calories, making it harder for a person who craves these foods to keep their weight in check.

4. You are more irritable and in a bad mood.

Lashing out at others and feeling irritable or moody isn't always because you're difficult to deal with. It could be related to poor sleep. One study found that people who only got 4 ½ hours of sleep a night felt more stressed, angry, and mentally exhausted. Once they returned to normal sleeping habits and proper hours, the participants felt much better. Another way that lack of sleep affects us is by increasing depression. Generally, people who are depressed have poor sleep. The worst thing is that these conditions are circular: depression can lead to lack of sleep, and lack of sleep can lead to depression. Feeling sleepy from not getting enough sleep can affect your concentration and memory. Therefore, it can make you feel less productive or competent at your job. Even worse, when driving, you could fall asleep due to excessive sleepiness.

5. You wake up feeling unrested and unwell.

If you wake up with a sore throat, dry mouth, or headache, this often indicates a medical reason for not sleeping well—sleep apnea, snoring, or acid reflux, for example. If these symptoms continue, talk to your health care provider to determine the cause and how to treat them.

Tips for getting a good night's sleep

Adequate sleep is necessary for good health. The average adult needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. If you're lacking that amount and need help getting it, here are some tips for getting a better night's sleep:

• Maintain a sleep schedule. If possible, go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.

• Always make your bed every dayYes, this makes a difference. A clean sleeping environment and how we sleep at night seem to be correlated. Clean your sheets frequently and make your bed before you leave.

• Resist afternoon napsAs tempting as it may be, taking a mid-afternoon nap can disrupt your ability to sleep at night. If you need to rest during the day, do so for just 20 minutes.

• Avoid heavy meals and caffeine before bedtimeEating a large meal right before bed can cause discomfort with indigestion, making it more difficult to fall asleep. Instead, eat at least 2 to 3 hours before bedtime.

• Keep all electronic devices out of your bedroom. Yes, this includes the TV. Getting into the habit of watching TV or browsing social media can make it difficult to sleep because of the particular type of light that screens emit.

• Every day, do some exercise. Of course, vigorous activity is best, but even light exercise can be helpful.

• Keep your bedroom at a cool and comfortable temperatureWhen you're tired, your body temperature drops and then rises again at dawn. To avoid restlessness at night, set your thermostat to 65 degrees in your bedroom.

• Sleep in light clothing. Wear comfortable, light clothing to bed. Dressing too warmly will only make it harder to fall asleep.

Dr. David Samadi is the Director of Men’s Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital on Long Island. He is a renowned and successful board-certified robotic-surgical urologic oncologist in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the US, with extensive experience in prostate cancer treatment and robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. Dr. Samadi is a medical contributor for NewsMax TV and is also the author of The Ultimate MANual, Dr. Samadi’s guide to men’s health and wellness, available online at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Please visit Dr. Samadi’s websites at robotic oncology and prostate cancer 911.