Sound Asleep CREDIT: Pexels
Thinking clearly and staying healthy are two key benefits of sleep, still many of us don’t get enough sleep and undercut our chances to perform at our best!
Did you know that when you’re sleep deprived you perform worse than a drunk?
The next time you tell yourself that you’ll sleep when you’re dead, says Dr. Travis Bradberry, realize that you’re making a decision that can make that day come much sooner. Pushing late into the night is a health and productivity killer. New research from the University of Rochester provides the first direct evidence for why your brain cells need you to sleep. The study found that when you sleep your brain removes toxic proteins from its neurons that are by-products of neural activity when you’re awake. Unfortunately, your brain can remove them adequately only while you’re asleep. So when you don’t get enough sleep, the toxic proteins remain in your brain cells, wreaking havoc by impairing your ability to think—something no amount of caffeine can fix.
Skipping sleep impairs your brain function across the board. It slows your ability to process information and problem solve, kills your creativity, and catapults your stress levels and emotional reactivity.
Your responsibility is to give yourself what your brain and body need to function at your best. So find out how much sleep you need to function at that optimal level and get into the discipline to get that amount of sleet every night. You’ll enjoy life much better, your mood and your performance will improve!
Here is a comprehensive guide and some tips and resources on how to how to improve your sleep hygiene and how to get a good night’s sleep.
