10 Reasons to Sleep More

Did you know that sleeping is essential—even more so than eating right, and exercising? Not getting enough shut eye can seriously affect your health (and create dark under-eye circles!); in fact, it's said that 25% of Canadians are sleep deprived. We've got 10 reasons not to miss out on your precious snooze time.

1. Sleeping is crucial for your body and mind to function normally. It regulates body temperature, and also enables the nervous system to

work properly.

2. Not sleeping enough could cause you to be irritable, impatient, and even impede your sense of humour—think of your family, friends, and colleagues!

3. According to a report by Loughborough University's Sleep Research Centre, every hour of sleep lost below eight consecutive hours represents the loss of approximately one point on a person's IQ. So imagine after a whole work week of sleeping poorly!

4. Lack of sleep can cause you to have trouble focusing on tasks, remembering things, and making rational decisions. Think of how this could impede your productivity at work.

5. Not getting enough sleep could affect the way your body processes food, even leading to unnecessary weight gain.

6. Research has shown that getting enough sleep can even have an influence on how long you live—even more so than having healthy eating habits, exercising enough, or heredity.

7. Sleep deprivation can affect your immune system, making it weaker, and leaving your more prone to illness.

8. Always being tired can cause you to be more nervous, even anxious, due to how much more difficulty you'll have dealing with the stresses of day-to-day life.

9. Ever heard of "beauty sleep"? There's a reason it's called that: night time is when your skin cells renew themselves—same thing for you hair. And looking tired is so out.

10. A significant lack of sleep can have similar effects as alcohol, and cause you to have delayed reactions to different stimuli. Imagine how dangerous that can be when driving, working out, or any other activity that requires focus and coordination.

The bottom line? Sleeping is essential. But not everyone needs the same number of hours of sleep to feel re-energized. The easiest way to figure out how much you need is to go to bed at a reasonable time, and see how long you sleep without being woken up by any outside sources (alarm clock, partner, child, light, etc.).

Note: If you consistently have problems falling asleep, constantly wake up in the middle of the night, or always feel tired, consult your doctor: you may have a serious sleeping disorder.

Content provided in partnership with divine.ca
Author: Mariève Inoue
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