Oh, How I love sleep!
Like if I have the option to go out or to sleep, I would most likely choose sleep. My only regret in life is that I didn’t take advantage of nap time when I was younger. Now as an adult I try to get sleep any chance I get. I have the gift of being able to sleep anytime, anywhere, with noise, sunlight, heat, cold, coffee , you name it (in my Shirley Caesar voice). This is especially great because I work nights.
Sleep is so important your health. Many of us neglect our need of sleep in the name of work, our social life, our children, or even just to binge watch the latest season of Power (I can’t even deal with how the season ended).
Recently I was working two jobs and training for a NPC competition. I had an hour drive between home and my job, another 40 minute drive between work and the gym, and another 40 minute drive between the gym and home. By the time I was home, showered, and ready for bed, I was limited to about 3-4 hours of sleep each day. My body was so confused. My trainer kept adjusting my diet and cardio because I wasn’t making any progress. I had bags under my eyes. I found myself nodding off more while I was at work. Not to mention how hard it became to drive home. There were a few times I had to pull over and close my eyes for a while, just to make it home.
The moment I stopped working the second job everything changed. I was finally able to sleep! I began making the progress my coach wanted to see, staying awake and alert wasn’t a problem anymore, and I was able to drive home without stopping. I didn’t even realize how bad things were. I assumed my body would adjust. My body was not having it.
Here are a few other benefits to getting good sleep:
-
improves concentration and productivity
-
lowers risk of heart disease and stroke
-
lowers risk of depression
-
improves immune function
-
affects emotions and social interaction
Something that I often tell my patients is “If you don’t rest, your body will shut you down and make you rest.” Your body is going to get what it needs, with or without us. Do yourself a favor and go get some sleep!
Leave a Reply