“The best cure for insomnia is to get a lot of sleep.”
– W. C. Fields
I think I must have been a cat in a past life. I’m not sure whether I’m nocturnal by nature, or simply an insomniac. One thing is for certain: I do not sleep very much. And when I do, it’s a light sleep that is easily disturbed by sound or motion.
Most “night” people (a.k.a. insomniacs) know, in theory, that sleep is essential to good health and well-being. In practice, however, we fool ourselves into thinking that we’re doing some of our best work late at night, when everything is silent and still. Actually, a good night’s sleep will boost overall productivity by a much greater degree than a sleepless night will.
5 simple reasons why sleeping through the night is a good thing:
- It improves your memory
- Boosts creativity
- Gives you more energy
- Makes you feel younger
- Makes you look younger
“Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night.”
– William Blake
5 medically-proven reasons why prolonged bouts of not sleeping can kill you:
- May cause inflammation which, in turn, may result in high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, premature aging and death
- May cause your metabolism to slow down and your weight to increase
- May make you accident-prone
- May contribute to depression and/or mood swings
- May adversely affect your immune system – making you more susceptible to colds, viruses, pneumonia
“Your life is a reflection of how you sleep, and how you sleep is a reflection of your life.”
– Dr. Rafael Pelayo
Did you know that approximately 40 million Americans suffer from over 70 sleep disorders? I kid you not.
So, how much sleep do we really need? Although it depends on the person, the general credo is that 7-8 hours sleep (for adults) is ideal. The National Sleep Foundation has provided a chart showing the ideal sleep duration per age group, including the ideal time to go to sleep – see below:
Personally, I intend to make an effort to sleep more (and earlier). The odds will not be in my favor, if I don’t make this critical life change.
To all the insomniacs out there: please, please get some sleep!
“And if tonight my soul may find her peace in sleep, and sink in good oblivion, and in the morning wake like a new opened flower then I have been dipped again in God, and new created.”
– D.H. Lawrence
heatherfromthegrove 
