Sleep is definitely NOT overrated. Unless you’re a toddler. Then it’s totally overrated because you could be missing out on the super secret party that adults have after toddlers go to sleep.
Sleep is usually the first thing, that as adults, we sacrifice in order to get our huge To-Do List done. Eight hours is a lot of time to “give up” for laying around when you could be answering those emails or hitting the gym. However, everyone needs sleep and according to the National Health Interview thirty percent of adults average six hours or less of sleep a day.
No wonder we all feel like zombies.
Typically speaking adults need on average between seven and nine hours of sleep; teens and young adults need on average nine to ten hours of sleep and children and babies vary depending on their age.
image via: sleepfoundation.org
Sleep is vital to the health of your body. It is the time when your body does its repair and rebuilding of muscles. The growth hormone is secreted during sleep– which is necessary not only in the growth of children but throughout adulthood in rebuilding tissues.
Sleep is also vital in restoring mental energy. Contrary to popular belief, sleep will actually help the brain commit to memory the information that you have been learning. In various studies, people who went to sleep after learning new information actually performed better on exams than those who did not.
Proper amounts of sleep can also aid in increased metabolism and weight-loss. If you have consistent, long-term lack of sleep it can cause your body to gain weight. This happens because lack of sleep affects how your body processes and changes carbohydrates. It also changes the hormones in your body that affect your appetite.
Research is showing that not sleeping enough will inhibit not only your ability to remember and recall information, it also affects your productivity. Lack of sleep can also lead to serious health problems and jeopardize not only your safety but the safety of those around you.
Lack of sleep has been linked with an increase in car accidents, weight gain– due to an increased appetite and health problems such as: diabetes, heart problems, depression and substance abuse. People who do not get enough sleep have difficulties remembering new information, paying attention and reacting to signals.
So ya. Getting enough sleep is important.
