Sleep does the body good. Despite knowing how vitally important sleep is to the body, I am so guilty of not getting enough sleep. I am a night owl. My best ideas come at night. Just last night, I finally called it a night at 2:30am. It was rough to get out of bed when the alarm clock rang at 6:30am this morning.
At 10pm, I promised myself that I had just one more thing to do. That one thing turned into many other things, since I had several meetings today that needed preparation. My day went off without a hitch, but I did find myself a little cranky with my colleagues and loved ones.
Tonight, I am turning in early, but I just had to get in this post on My Viewpoints. I find that when I share my thoughts and feelings, it makes me feel so much better. Please take heed to these six reasons to get enough sleep. It is important for all of us, men and women.
I came across a few great tips on the importance of sleep. I enjoy sharing things that help me live a more productive life. Hopefully this can make a difference in the life of my readers.
A survey found that most people sleep less than six hours a night. A short-lived bout of insomnia is generally nothing to worry about. The bigger concern is chronic sleep loss, which can contribute to health problems such as weight gain, high blood pressure, and a decrease in the immune system’s power, reports the Harvard Women’s Health Watch.
The Harvard Women’s Health Watch suggests six reasons to get enough sleep:
- Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.
- Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.
- Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.
- Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.
- Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.
- Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.
Importance of Sleep : Six reasons not to scrimp on sleep – Harvard Health Publications – Harvard Medical School
Harvard Study Links Lack of Sleep to Increased Diabetes and Obesity Risk – Live Your Life, Stay Well, Stay Positive
Harvard Study Links Sleep Deprivation and Obesity – Health Blog – Spinal Health & Wellness
Good Night's Sleep Contributes to Healthy Eating – Canada.co/ Chicago Tribune