The Importance of Sleep

Sleeping by TheMidnightOrange

You used to be able to stay up all night ... three hours of sleep is plenty ... I can catch up on my sleep this weekend ... if you've found yourself saying one of those sayings, then you are in part of the 60% of the world that is NOT getting enough sleep.

Sleep Eye Mask by CamprimoDesigns

Did you know that skimping on sleep can actually be terrible for your health?  Here are the recent results of a Havard Sleep Study suggesting just a few short reasons why YOU should be getting more sleep...

Snuggle Sack by Rendachs

The Harvard Women’s Health Watch suggests six reasons to get enough sleep (see full article here):

1. Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.
2. Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.
3. Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.
4. Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.
5. Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.
6. Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.

The City Sleeps by JETGallery