Since the Providence conference last July, I’ve made an effort to average 8 hours of sleep/night. I’ve done pretty well at it and besides being sick right now, I feel pretty energized. A person (Brandon Marcello) I’ve never heard speak before at a conference was speaking about sleep on Saturday. Boy was it interesting! We all know it’s important, but you don’t realize just how important it is. Out of 105 factors, sleep is the only one that affects all four aspects of human performance (brain function, physical performance, social interaction, and emotional stability). It is THAT important.
There isn’t a one size fits all amount of sleep that people need to get. The ideal is somewhere between 8-10 hours/night. Can you imagine ten hours of sleep/night? Athletes who sleep 10 hrs/night had significant improvements in their performance. For the average person, that relates to quicker reaction times, better judgement and decision making skills, and improved career longevity.
- Increased risk of injury
- Greater susceptibility to sickness
- Reduced motivation, learning ability, and memory
- Increases in anxiety, irritability, and mistakes
- Increased body fat
- Reverting to old habits
- Crave carbohydrates due to poor metabolism of carbs
- Improved motivation
- Recovery of muscle strength
- Cortisol regulation is improved (stress hormone)
- Motor skills improve
- Increased ability to consolidate & recall memories
- Improved judgement & decision making
While you are sleeping your body and brain are resting and rebuilding. This is a necessary “quiet time” for the body. During sleep, the brain builds new pathways so you can learn more the next day. While sleeping, your blood vessels and heart are healing and repairing from the day’s work. Adequate sleep regulates the hormones that help you feel full or make you hungry, thus helping to control your appetite. Growth hormone is released during sleep for growth, development, and repair of muscles, tissues, and cells. All of these body processes happen while we sleep. This is why sleep is so important.
Below are two infographics. One explains the dangers of sleep deprivation and the other gives tips on how to sleep better. You can click on either picture to go to the website source. 🙂
TAKE HOME MESSAGE: Arrange your day to allow for eight hours of sleep each night. This will positively impact all areas of your personal and professional life.