You run out of time. You stifle the yawns. Oh, well – you’ll go to bed late, again You need to get this and that done. No big deal, right? Wrong. So, let’s take a minute to find out what a lack of sleep can do to you.
YIKES #1 Poor Sleep Can Make You Fat
Some sleepy folks may think that the less sleep they get, the more calories they’ll burn. Not so! It’s not that you burn off that many calories when you are ZZZ-ing. Unless they eat in their sleep, good sleepers tend to eat fewer calories. Studies show that the blunt fact is that sleeping less has a strong link with obesity – 55% more of a chance than adults who sleep more. Why? Because lack of sleep actually affects your hormones and can cause poor appetite regulation. Yikes is right.
YIKES #2 Poor Sleep Can Reduce Brain Activity
Your brain doesn’t function as well when it hasn’t had enough time to rest and recuperate. So what cerebral functions are we talking about here? Some pretty important ones: cognition, concentration, productivity, and performance. How can that affect you? Maybe you’ll forget where you put your keys or your wallet or your laptop. Maybe you’ll find that you can’t sit still and get a task done. Maybe you just won’t be your golden self. One study showed that sleep deprivation can actually slow-start your brain similar to when you drink too much. And they are not referring to Gatorade. Yikes is right.
YIKES #3 Poor Sleep is Linked to Depression
Depression is a debilitating condition. Less sleep isn’t the main cause of depression, but studies indicate that 90% of the people who are plagued with this health issue complain about the lack of quality of their sleep. Our bodies need several cycles of sleep that take roughly 1-½ hours a cycle. You may think your brain sleeps when you are asleep. Not so. One of these cycles is a combination of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and non-REM phases. Researchers claim that you need 7 to 9 hours of sleep so that your brain can do its housekeeping and tidying up efficiently. It’s critical to your well-being and perspective that your brain goes through a sufficient number of cycles. Yikes is right.
YIKES #4 Poor Sleep Impairs Immune Function
No one wants to get sick. Well, if you don’t sleep enough, your body may not feel the same way. One study gave participants the cold virus in some nasal drops. Guess what? Those who slept fewer than 7 hours a night were three times more likely to get that cold. The common cold is not the end of the world, but if you want that nuisance to be less common for you, get enough sleep. Get this – a lack of sleep gives you a better chance of getting sick. Yikes is right.
YIKES #5 Poor Sleep Leads to Increased Inflammation
It’s all part of age. Sure. Joints creak and groan and cells get damaged. Why rush into that condition? It’s not just the joints that are affected either. Studies show that those who sleep poorly can get saddled with a long-term digestive condition. Without going into details, this disease ends up causing one to spend more time on the throne. No fun. If you don’t take your sleep more seriously, you’ll end up needing to take your poor health more seriously. Yikes is right.
Sleep requirements do vary from person to person. Even so, most healthy adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep to function well. It’s important in so many ways to get enough sleep. Even though you may think you are getting more time out of your day, you really are compromising the quality of your life. Want another way to improve your life – your business life? Join us at Online Sales Pro and we’ll show you some MUCH BETTER ways to save time. With that extra time, maybe you can get more sleep.
