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The Wonderful Elixir of Sleep

Wake up energized and ready to tackle the day

Overachievers often pride themselves on how little sleep they can consume and still function the next day. In fact, some deprived sleepers ridicule and chide others for being “weak” when desiring a full night’s sleep. It’s as if it’s not “cool” to be a good sleeper.

 

The fact of the matter is that sleep deprivation will shorten your life. Insufficient sleep has causal relationships with heart disease, obesity, diabetes, dementia, and cancer. It is also linked to Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, suicide, stroke, and chronic pain.[i]

 

And we’re not talking about extreme sleepless situations like pulling an all-nighter. We’re talking about 6 hours of sleep. Technically, that’s not enough sleep. An adult needs more than seven hours to maintain optimal performance physically, mentally, and emotionally.

 

There are certainly times in your life when sleep is elusive for a whole host of reasons, but the goal is to do what you can to get a consistent 7-9 hours of sleep EVERY night. One technique that has worked incredibly well for me has been to go to bed at the same time every night, even on the weekends. I feel great when I can follow that discipline.

 

Check out “Your Guide to Healthy Sleep” published by the National Institutes of Health for more tips. And next time you hear that someone feels great because they got a good night’s sleep, praise and acknowledge their effort.

[1] Petre, Alina. “13 Habits Linked to a Long Life (Backed by Science).” Healthline.April 8, 2019. Accessed March 2, 2020. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-habits-linked-to-a-long-life.

[1] Achor, Shawn. The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life. New York: Currency, 2018. p.21.

[1] “The Effects of Stress on Your Body.” WebMD, December 10, 2017. Accessed May 08, 2020. https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/effects-of-stress-on-your-body.

[1] Walker, Matthew P. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. New York, NY: Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2018.