I love sleep. I love the feeling of hitting the mattress after a hard day of work, I love the feeling of revitalization that comes with a solid night's rest, and most of all I LOVE dreaming. But that's a topic for another post. This article is a little more simple; are you getting enough sleep? If your like more than 30% of Americans that answer is “No”.
The “I'll sleep when I'm dead” belief is starting to look less ambitious and more pig-headed. Recent studies by Harvard medical students and members of the National Sleep Foundation have found that a lack of sleep (generally less than 6 hours) can lead to dire health effects. Among these include a higher risk for depression, high-blood pressure, heart attack, heart failure and obesity. People who get a good amount of sleep are also less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, a degenerative brain condition that starts by destroying short-term memory function, causing motor function impairment and eventually harming your long-term memory to the point where one may not even have the ability to recognize their own family. From a more short-term approach, a lack of sleep can also impair motor function. In some cases making the individual as unfit as a intoxicated individual in operating an automobile.
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But enough with all the negativity, you are probably wondering the benefits you may experience from a good night of rest?
Well those are just as astounding. Getting a sufficient amount of shuteye can result in better memory development and retention, allowing your brain to develop and practice new learning skills subconsciously while you sleep. A healthier immune system is commonplace with catching enough Z's as well, meaning you would be less likely to catch a cold or develop an infection.
Finally, not looking your best after a bad night of sleep isn't just a short-term characteristic. Your body's HGH levels increase when you sleep which can be attributed to less wrinkles, a better metabolism and a higher libido. This is not to say you can sleep your way through to a sexy looking 40 though, as too much sleep (typically more than 9 hours a night) has been seen to have similar effects as not getting enough.
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I know that “getting enough sleep” is really a relative term because what is enough for me, may be hours away from enough to keep you going strong. But if you wake up not wanting to brutally attack your alarm clock every morning, your probably doing something right.
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