Sleep is the foundation of everything we do, yet for most people, it's the first thing that's sacrificed. Anyone who's ever had a busy schedule can understand this. After all, to our minds, sleep feels like something we waste a third of our time doing. If we sleep less, aren't we going to have more time to focus on the important things?
The answer is no. If we sleep less, we may have more time, but we won't be nearly as efficient, productive, or happy. To simplify this concept, think of the human body as a battery. When you exercise, work, or even just watch TV, you're draining that battery. Sleep is the time when you recharge and get your energy back to prepare you for the next day. If you don't ever recharge, you're going to run out of battery and be unable to do important things when you need to. So whether you're an athlete, a student, or just trying to feel your best, quality sleep is the key to peak performance.
When we sleep, the body repairs our muscles, strengthens our immune systems, and gives us energy for the next day. Sleep also helps us retain important things that we learned the previous day for long-term memory. A lack of sleep will prevent our bodies from being able to carry out these functions properly. And if that's not enough to convince you to sleep, get this. Not sleeping enough can also cause depression, increased stress, and heart disease. Essentially, better sleep leads to a longer and happier life.
Ideally, we should all go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. We should also aim for 7-9 hours of sleep. Some important things that can improve the quality of your sleep are limiting screen time before bed, keeping the room cool and dark, getting sunlight during the day, and avoiding caffeine or alcohol before bed.
To summarize, sleep isn't something that wastes a third of your day. In fact, it's about as far from that as possible. Sleep is an investment in your life and in your future. So if you're looking to increase your quality of life, start with better sleep. It's the key to unlocking your full potential.