It’s Worlds Sleep Day on Friday. Unfortunately, it probably won’t get much attention. Sleep is something we all do. Most people LOVE to sleep, but the majority of people don’t have correct sleep hygiene.
Stats show that over 1 in 3 North Americans don’t get enough sleep. This is high enough, but a much higher percentage of the population doesn’t get the rest and recovery they need despite getting enough hours of sleep.
Other than being a bit tired, why is good sleep hygiene so important?
Well, there are many reasons, but at the highest level, sleep is one of the most underrated aspects of health. Sleep (or lack thereof) directly impacts virtually every system and organ in your body. This includes hormone levels and function, cellular repair, neural regeneration, and much more!
The issues people have with getting enough sleep vary greatly. For some, it’s simply a lack of knowledge of the subject. They simply don’t understand just how important sleep is. For others, it’s that they just can’t fall asleep before 11 or 12 o’clock at night.
And, then there are those who’ve convinced themselves they don’t need that much sleep…
Virtually every long-term sleep study demonstrates that people function best with different amounts of sleep each night. The number that can THRIVE with less than 7 hours per night is only 2%.
Most adults need 7.5-8 hours to thrive. Kids need significantly more.
Notice how I said THRIVE. Sure, we’ve all SURVIVED, and “gotten by” with less than 7 hours, but I strongly believe that life is about much more than just surviving.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say most of those people who don’t think they need 7 hours of sleep aren’t in that 2% group.
Currently, there are a lot of people trying to hack sleep.
These are generally people who are putting a lot of attention into career advancement or their business. They’re looking for ways to get by with less so they can do more. But, the facts are the facts, and you just can’t argue with over 50 years of research that all say the same thing.
Getting an adequate volume of sleep and quality sleep hygiene, actually makes you MUCH more productive! This generally requires 7.5-8 hours…at the right time of night.
When you get enough sleep you make fewer mistakes and work more efficiently. Cognitive scores are higher when you get more sleep – in other words, you’re smarter! And, for those who care about their health, consider these facts:
- Lack of sleep messes up our metabolic processes, including cellular function, regeneration, and blood sugar regulation.
- Failing to get enough (quality) sleep can lower our insulin resistance and increase the risk (or symptoms of) Type 2 Diabetes.
Another cautionary fact is that poor sleep hygiene increases our risk of mood disorders (or just being grumpy). It also increases our cravings for sugar. This makes it more challenging to get along in our social community and make smart nutritional choices.
I love this quote from Dr. Jade Teta:
“Sleep and stress have zero calories and you can’t eat them, but they dramatically impact what you choose to eat, how much of it you eat, and whether it will be burned or stored once you eat it.”
If you’re not currently getting 7 hours of sleep each night I suggest you start. And, don’t give me the, “I don’t have time” excuse! The facts show that you’ll get more done in your waking hours when actually get enough sleep, thus eliminating a lot of the “I don’t have time to get it all done” excuse.
Now, if you’re simply over-scheduled that’s a different story…and that’s on you to decide – do you want to live this way or not? Do you want to be healthier, have more energy, and enjoy life more…or not?
The way I see it, I get one life so I’m going to figure out ways to maximize my time here. It turns out that having BETTER sleep hygiene will help me do that.
I’m IN, are YOU?
If you need professional advice on how to be more productive with the right fitness, sleep, and nutrition plan, we at FRESH! are more than happy to help. Simply book your free Complimentary Succes Session and buy your ticket to healthier and happier tomorrow.
