Sleep Is Food For The Soul

Many people think sleep is highly overrated. My dad raised me with the motto “you can sleep when you're dead”. He would get up very early and expected me to do the same. My older sister also forgoes sleep for productivity. She stays up working at home until midnight or later and gets up every morning around 5 a. m.

Sleep is, actually, highly underrated by most Americans. There are people who think sleeping more than 5 or 6 hours is something to be proud of. People who sleep more are often seen as weak, lazy, or unproductive. Scientists, doctors, and other medical professionals strongly disagree. Sleep is food for the soul, a recharger for the body, and respite for the brain. While you sleep, your brain processes the day, organizing and filing away information and tossing away the unneeded. It can even come up with solutions to worrying problems while you rest.

Sleep also has significant health benefits. Getting a good night's sleep decreases your chances of becoming ill. Your immune system is stronger and better able to resist disease. You are less likely to have depression as well. And you will have better concentration and focus, be more creative, and have more energy.

People who drive when they are very sleepy are actually more dangerous than drivers who have used drugs or alcohol. Insomnia is even more dangerous. This often long-term problem takes years off a person's life in addition to causing many other issues. Think you can make up lost sleep on the weekends? Think again. Your body needs the rejuvenating benefits of sleep every day. It isn't possible to make up for a week of poor sleep habits in one weekend. Sleeping an extra thirty minutes or hour more every day is much more beneficial.

I have always loved to sleep. Like most people, I don't get as much as I need. I'm trying to develop better sleep habits, like putting away electronic devices, taking warm showers, and turning on soft lights. Now that you know a lot more about the benefits of sleep, maybe you'll do the same.