Sleep is Not a Luxury!
In today's society, nothing seems so important as productivity. Staying busy and "getting things done" is prioritized over everything, including personal health. Because of this, we have become a culture that praises the sleep deprived. How dedicated they must be, right? They must be so driven and so hard working if they refuse to sleep in order to keep their "grind" going. Students pride themselves on pulling all-nighters to get their work done, employees willingly take work home with them. In sum, our culture has decided that sleep isn't worth it in comparison to our daily tasks.
But is staying up and missing out on a couple hours of sleep actually helping us get more done? According to the Sleep Foundation, no! Sleeping is essential for peak concentration, creativity, and memory processing. Sleep is also vital for our physical well-being. While we sleep, the pituitary gland has a surge of growth hormone that speeds up muscle growth, bone growth, and boosts metabolism. Our immune system also gets a boost while we're sleeping. A lack of sleep is correlated with more cases of anxiety, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and depression.
Based on all of this information, the way forward is clear: get your sleep! Take care of your brain and body by letting them rest and you will reap the benefits.
To read more about sleep, check out the following resources