We all know that the golden 7-9 hours of sleep is what we should be aiming for. But did you know that 71% of Brits don’t hit this important quota and 14% get less than five hours of sleep a night?

Aside from the impact poor sleep can have on our mental and physical health (it’s closely linked to a range of problems, from dementia to diabetes), it can also manifest in ways you might not expect.

Turns out that 11am craving for something sugary or feeling rundown after a hectic weekend might not be a coincidence after all.

If you’re curious to know whether your body is telling you that you need to sleep more, you’re in the right place. We spoke to a sleep expert to find out how our bodies tell us we’re not getting optimal slumber time and you might just spot these telling signs in your own life.

Here are four surprising things that might be the tell-tale signs that you need to get more sleep…

We’ve all been there. We’re moody, we’re irritated and even the slightest inconvenience can make us feel like the world’s against us. 

While it might be tempting to chalk mood swings up to PMS or hormonal issues, they can actually be a pretty good indicator that you’re not sleeping enough.

If we don’t get enough REM (rapid eye movement) sleep – a lighter form of sleep that allows our brains to recover from daily stresses – it can be really hard to regulate our emotions.

“While we’re in REM sleep, it washes a lot of toxins out of our brains that build up throughout the day. But it also helps process all of our emotions,” says Hannah Shore, Silentnight’s sleep expert. 

“For the average person, the first half of sleep will always be a predominantly deep sleep where our body will be fixing itself physically. So, if we’re cutting sleep short, we never cut sleep from the beginning, it’s always cut short at the end which means we’re missing out on that important REM sleep that helps us process our emotions.”

The fix? Giving ourselves enough time to get a good amount of that lighter sleep at the end of our nightly sleep cycle. 

Whether that means going to bed earlier or waking up later, if you wanted an excuse to spend longer in bed, you’ve got it.

Aches and pains turning up even when you haven’t been hitting the gym hard? It could be another sign that you’re not sleeping enough.

“When aches and pains start occurring across your body it’s not necessarily about the amount of sleep you’re getting, it’s also about the quality,” says Hannah.

We spoke about the importance of REM sleep and regulating our emotions but non-REM sleep (deep, restorative sleep) is just as important, as this is when our bodies repair themselves physically. 

“If you’re not getting the right type of sleep, you might find that your body feels quite lethargic or sore and it’s difficult for you to get going. That’s because your body hasn’t had the type of sleep that allows it to fix itself.”

Of course, there are many reasons our bodies experience aches and pains, and if you suspect that it may be something a little more serious than a lack of sleep, it’s a good idea to speak to your GP or seek the advice of a medical professional. 

Regardless of the cause, waking up with aches and pains isn’t ideal and the right kind of mattress can help prevent them. So, if you’re in the market for a new one, the Silentnight Just Sleep range offers 48-hour delivery of rolled mattresses – the perfect starting point for a night of ache-free shuteye. 

If you find yourself feeling unusually hungry and your preference happens to be for a sugar high or fast food fix, you’re probably not sleeping enough.

“If we don’t have enough good quality sleep, we can’t replace the energy we’ve expended throughout the previous day. Our energy levels are a bit like batteries – if you don’t charge them, they’re not going to last,” says Hannah.

We sleep because we’ve depleted ourselves throughout the day and we need some inactive time for our energy levels to be restored. If we’ve under-slept, it’s only natural that our bodies try to seek out energy from another source: food.

“Sometimes people have naps but when we don’t have time for that our bodies crave this energy from elsewhere. When you’re tired and lacking energy your body is craving high-energy, high-fat, high-calorie food because that’s the kind of food that will allow it to boost energy levels quickly.”

This is actually why poor sleep over a prolonged period of time can be linked to health problems like obesity and type 2 diabetes. 

To combat this, the best thing we can do is, of course, to try to get more high quality sleep. But sometimes staying up late and losing sleep is inevitable. So, the second best thing we can do if we’re feeling super hungry due to a lack of sleep is to opt for whole, nutrient-rich foods. Think porridge and fresh fruit as opposed to chocolate and doughnuts. Everything in moderation.

We’ve already established the fact that our bodies repair themselves while we’re sleeping. But if we’re not getting enough rest, the proteins that are released to strengthen our immune systems don’t go to work, making us more susceptible to illness. 

“While we sleep, proteins are released into our bodies to work on our immune systems. They’re like little security guards that make sure everything’s up to scratch and boost our immune system if it needs fixing,” says Hannah.

Getting your five-a-day is a brilliant way to prevent illness but making sure you’re also getting enough quality sleep is just as beneficial.

“People think that you can eat all of these wonderful things to boost your immune system, but a simple way to make sure it’s in optimal condition is getting the right amount of good quality sleep. When you sleep, your body is doing all of these weird and wonderful things throughout the night to keep your body in order.”

But if you’re feeling unwell, it’s super important to keep cosy and rest up. Weighted blankets can help you rest well; a calming weighted wellbeing blanket feels a little like a gentle hug, and can help you drift off easier. If you prefer something more lightweight, a wearable blanket could be a comforting alternative. 

So, the next time you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or feel generally under par, consider checking in on your sleep routine and make sure you’re getting as much good quality sleep as possible.

With over 75 years of expertise, Silentnight is the UK’s most trusted sleep brand and they’re here to help the nation sleep better, no matter how unique a sleeper you are.

Whether you’re on the hunt for the perfect mattress or want to discover the expert advice you need for a sound slumber, head over to the Silentnight website for all you need to know.