With the Daylight Savings Time change last weekend, most people, myself included, struggled to get out of bed this morning. I guess it seems fitting, or ironic depending on how you look at it, that this week, March 10th-16th, is National Sleep Awareness Week 2019, with March 11th being National Napping Day. What better way to catch up on the hour of sleep, so savagely taken from us over the weekend, than a nap at your desk on a Monday!
All kidding aside, sleep is serious business, and this week is meant to raise awareness of its importance and effect on one’s health. We all know how we feel the day after, not getting a restful night sleep, groggy, tired, and probably not as sharp as normal; these are just the temporary effects, however, prolonged lack of restful sleep has been linked to a number of serious health conditions.
Numerous studies over the years have shown that lack of sleep can reduce a person’s lifespan, and increases the risk of have a serious medical condition, like diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure. These conditions are very harmful to a person’s overall health, can come with complications and increase healthcare costs. This is why it is very important for everyone to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night!
We hope everyone has a happy National Napping day and Sleep Awareness Week, full of restful sleep! But don’t overdo it, as regularly getting too much sleep has been linked to the same negative health effects as not getting enough sleep, in addition to an increased risk for depression. Not sure if you are sleeping too much, or not enough? Ask yourself how you feel; do you struggle to get out of bed when the alarm clock rings? Are you unproductive at work, and have trouble focusing? Do you depend on large amounts of caffeine throughout the day? If you answered yes, to these, then you may not be getting enough sleep, or too much.
Don’t let all of this stress you out, because that won’t help you sleep, but sticking to a sleep routine and exercising daily, just might!