How Poor Sleep Affects Your Health and Productivity

Let’s talk about something I know we all love: sleep!

There are some pretty excellent benefits to getting the recommended amount of sleep! If you have trouble sleeping, stay tuned for tips. ✓ Let’s not forget the weekly challenge! So here we go straight to SLEEP… well… not yet, guys! Otherwise, you’re going to miss all this excellent info!

Whether you’re a mom or a dad or a young sprout making their way into adulthood, sleep is an essential part of your day. It’s recommended that adults get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep every night. The average adolescent needs between 8.5 and 9.25 hours of sleep per night. ✓ Otherwise, they have to bear the effects of a lack of sleep.

Effects of Lack of Sleep include Eating Habits and Behaviors.

First, sleep is vital for memory retention! That’s right! Sleep is crucial if you want to put anything you learn in school into long-term memory. Moreover, sleep helps solidify new knowledge and even helps you find creative ways to understand tough concepts! ✓ If you are struggling to learn a difficult task or study a challenging subject, SLEEP ON IT! Not only is sleep excellent for memory, but it’s also crucial for alertness and paying attention! Sitting in class for hours is daunting. I know… I bet you think your parents forgot what it was like to try and absorb everything like a little sponge all day long; some might have, but others remember better than you think—bottom line. If you want to pay attention for all those hours without dozing off, the best thing you can do is get a good night’s sleep!

So when it comes to anything academic… sleep is a great study buddy! 

The same goes for work! Getting the recommended amount of sleep increases productivity. 

Having your boss say you’re productive is a wonderful thing! So make sure you get those ZnS so you can impress those around you with your awesome work performance! But sleep isn’t just crucial for your BRAIN! That’s right; all the things I just mentioned are Brain benefits.  Sleep is also vital to avoid getting sick! Getting good sleep not only keeps you free from things like a common cold… it helps your body make more antibodies when vaccinated. In summary, it positively impacts your immune system. It also contributes to your overall health!

Lack of sleep can affect your eating habits and behavior. But what if you have issues falling asleep? What if you lie there and try and try and stare at the clock wishing you could just fall asleep but just can’t??

Here are a few tips to improve your sleep routine, which is known as sleep hygiene.

Tip 1:

Do your best to have a schedule and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day… yes… even on weekends! It helps your body naturally fall asleep because we are, after all, creatures of habit.

Tip 2:

Exercise! ✓ Exercise is a great way to help you burn energy and get you ready for bed. For some, though, exercising too close to bedtime will prevent sleep, but everyone is different! See what works for you and go with it! But in general, it’s a good idea NOT to work out 2-3 hours before going to bed.

Tip 3:

No coffee and no nicotine! Anything with caffeine and even chocolate can keep you awake. The stimulating effects of these can last up to 8 hours! Nicotine is also a stimulant. Now obviously, it’s not a rule for everyone. Some coffee drinkers can get a tolerance to its effects, so even a cup at night won’t keep them up. Like me, ha! So like, I’ve said what works for you!

Tip 4:

No alcohol before bed! For many, having a glass of wine or a cup of just one drink helps them relax. The problem is that it prevents your body from getting DEEP sleep, so even though you sleep your 7-8 hours… the quality isn’t that great.

Tip 5:

Snacking is okay, but avoid giant meals and drinking too many liquids before bed. First off, giant meals before bed can lead to indigestion, and it will affect your sleep. Second, if you drink too many liquids before bed, you might find yourself waking up in the middle of the night to urinate! Bye-bye, sleep.

Tip 6:

Don’t take naps late in the day. The National Institute of Health recommends not taking a nap after 3 pm, but this is when schools are often released. I know when I was in middle school and high school, taking a small nap when I got home was heaven. So why not too late or even after 3 pm? It might prevent you from falling asleep when it’s bedtime… but like I keep saying… we’re all different!

Tip 7:

Relax before bed! You can take a bath or listen to some music… don’t go straight from working and studying to trying to fall asleep… your brain is wired! So make sure you give it time to settle before deciding to go into sleep mode.

Tip 8:

Have a good sleep environment. This means you should avoid using your phone or tablet in bed. Even the temperature is important. You sleep better if it’s slightly cool.

Tip 9:

Did you know that your sleep cycle also depends on how much sunlight you’re exposed to? Yes! So if possible, go outside and get that Vitamin Sun for at least 30 minutes every day!

Try waking up with the sun! Frozen had the right idea! “The sky’s awake, so I’m awake!”

There you have it! 9 tips to help you get your needed sleep. But what if you don’t get the sleep you need? What then?

Nap! Even though naps don’t replace a good night’s rest. 

It does improve your mood and attention enough to get work done. So if you’re feeling sleepy, take a nap, but do your best to limit it to 20 minutes. Any more and you might find yourself having a hard time waking up or feeling refreshed.

Does anyone work the night shift? If you do, here are a few tips to help regulate your sleep.