Defining sleep is a lot like trying to define life. No one completely understands it, and if you try to explain it, you’re more likely to sound like Forrest Grump. The Free Dictionary defines sleep as a natural periodic state of rest for the mind and body, in which the eyes usually close and consciousness is completely or partially lost, so that there is a decrease in bodily movement and responsiveness to external stimuli.
That sounds a little weird, but the most important takeaway is that it’s a natural period state if rest for the body and mind. If you’re not doing it, then you’re being completely unnatural.
Generally, being awake is catabolic (breaks you down) and being sleep is anabolic (builds you up). Sleep is known to be an elevated anabolic state. Heightening the growth and rejuvenation of the immune, skeletal, and muscular systems. Basically, sleep rebuilds you and keeps you youthful. Unless you give your body the right amount of sleep, you will never, I repeat never, have the body and life you want to have.
Working hard is unarguably a big part of being successful, but so is working smart. So many people in our world today go on plugging away with work, burning the candle at both ends, not realizing that the quality of work they’re doing is being radically compromised.
To state that sleep is important is an understatement. However, many people know the value of sleep but do not get the right amount or quality of sleep. What’s worse, they do little to help correct the problem. This can have a huge impact on your ability to focus.
Think back to the last time you were at work, and you felt yourself yawning excessively. You likely experienced this not too long ago. You may have even found yourself dozing off. People chalk it up to being busy and thinking it happens to most people. They treat it as a normal byproduct of living in today’s fast-paced world.
There is nothing normal about the consistent loss of sleep. It creates problems in our lives including risking getting into traffic accidents and poor performance at work. Studies have shown it can lead to serious diseases if the condition is chronic.
Sleep recharges our batteries if you will. It gives us more energy and allows us to have a clear mind to take on most tasks. It lets us be at the top of our games.
If you find yourself unable to sleep or you sleep for short durations and wake easily you need to take some steps to change that. Start by going to bed at the same time every evening. If you are only getting four hours of sleep per night, try getting to bed earlier. Don’t eat too soon before going to bed. It increases your chance of stomach upset which will also interrupt your sleep cycle.
Some people claim they only need a certain number of hours of sleep and it may be true for them. However, if you were to follow these people around you would likely find they are not performing at their true potential either. People do have different needs as far as sleep is concerned. But, no one can truly perform well with just three or four hours of sleep consistently. They are fooling themselves.
If you find yourself struggling to get quality sleep, consider seeking out some professional help. Sometimes, it could be caused by medical conditions like sleep apnea, etc. Stress could be another cause. Either way, a sleep therapist can help you identify where your problems are and give you some possible solutions.
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