Here you go, again – fueling up on multiple cups of coffee before 9 am, yawning through your mid-morning meeting, and barely making it through that 3 pm energy slump. But that’s nothing new, right? As it turns out, it not only doesn’t have to be like that, but your lack of sleep can become a major problem for your emotional, physical and mental health.
Whether you can’t pry yourself away from those Facebook updates, or you just seem to toss and turn all night long, sleep is a must. It’s mandatory. And without at least six hours of sleep a night, you may be doing more than dragging through your day. You may, according to a 2010 study, be shortening your lifespan.
Sleep Well, Get a Raise
Two things always pose trouble for getting that raise or promotion: stress and fatigue. When you don’t sleep enough or have a hard time going to sleep and having uninterrupted zzz’s, your brain can’t function at optimal levels. When you sleep soundly, you don’t just give your body the rest it needs, but you also strengthen your memory muscle. Sleep at least six hours a night, and impress your boss with a mind sharp enough for that executive level position!
Increase Your Longevity with Seven Hours of Sleep a Day
Forget anti-aging creams or that lunchtime peel. When you sleep at least six hours a night (seven hours is better), you can actually keep those laugh lines and crow feet away. When you’re well rested, and don’t sleep more than nine hours a day, or less than seven (according to a study done in 2010) you can actually increase your longevity, and reduce your chances of heart attack, stroke and obesity.
Unleash Your Inner Sculptor, Painter or Writer
Getting your “zzz’s” every night won’t just make you wiser, healthier or smarter. According to multiple studies done at Boston College and Harvard University, you can actually improve your creative thinking skills and cognitive skills just by turning off the TV and catching an extra hour or two of sleep a night. When you sleep, you develop a stronger muscle memory, leading you to create that best-selling novel you’ve been talking about for years!
Sleep Like a Winner, Live Like a Winner
What’s the biggest obstacle preventing you from improving your marathon running time? As it turns out, it could be fatigue (even if it doesn’t feel like you’re tired.) Spend the next two weeks getting between 8-9 hours of sleep a night, and observe the difference it can make on your performance.
Lose Weight and Keep Your Appetite for Sugar at Bay
Your weight has a tendency to fluctuate, “yo-yo” and generally drive you mad with frustration. Instead of giving into that piece of chocolate cake as you think, “What’s the point?”, try this – try sleeping more to lose more weight. Watching your portion sizes in addition to watching how many hours you sleep a night can actually work to collectively help you shed more fat. There may be a reason for it – when you are sleep deprived, you reach for carb-rich and sugar heavy foods. So, sleep in and have an extra boost of energy to hit another mile on the treadmill, or walk the stairs instead of taking the elevator.
When you sleep well, you live well. And, as it turns out, you also lose weight well, have newly developed skills to kick start your creativity, and can improve your overall health – physically, mentally and emotionally. Be healthy in mind and body by sleeping your worries – and that extra weight – away!
