Why do I need sleep anyway?

There are many cool “sciency” explanations for why we need sleep.  If you want to read some studies, click here.

If you want to read an AWESOME BOOK about sleep, click here.

For those of us that have filled our allotment of scholarly study reading for the month:

6 reasons why YOU NEED SLEEP

Restore & Recover:

You train hard in the gym and live busy lives.  You need your sleep for your body to recover both physically and neurologically.  Remember the last time you got a crappy night of sleep?  Not fun!  Working hard and going on about your day while having under slept makes you susceptible to injury and not being as productive as you could have been.

Consistency in nutritional habits

Science can explain to you why lack of sleep messes with your hormone levels.  You get cranky and you get cravings.  For some of us, adherence to our goals is tough enough, don’t try to do it while HANGRY.

Improve concentration and productivity

Short sleep can negatively impact some aspects of brain function to a similar degree as alcohol intoxication.

On the other hand, good sleep has been shown to improve problem-solving skills and enhance memory performance.  We need all of our brain cells working with us and not against us!

Helps with depression and stress

Again, with the hormones… our bodies are machines that require a delicate balance of hormones so that we can function at our highest potential.  Life is hard and stressful, when you don’t get enough sleep it is like trying to run a Ferrari on regular unleaded fuel… you have to get the PREMIUM.

Improve your immune function

What happens if you build a house on the sand?  It will crumble!  Sleep debt and stress make us vulnerable to disease.  Build your house on the ROCK aka sleep.

Better social interactions

Have you ever hung out with me when I am tired?  Not the most fun you’ll ever have…  Don’t become an angry elf.  Take a nap, relax, and bring other people joy when they are around you.

“Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day — Mother Nature’s best effort yet at contra-death.”
― Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

There you have it! Get your sleep on!!