A wash of tasks floods your to-do-list and at once the urge is there. You decide to get less sleep in, and more work done.
How much sleep do you get? Six hours or less? Seven? Eight?
According to the most recent data from the National Health Interview Survey, the proportion of Americans getting no more than six hours of sleep a night (the minimum for a good night’s rest for most people) rose from 22% in 1985 to 29% in 2012. An international study conducted in 2017 by the Center for Creative Leadership found that among leaders, the problem is even worse: 42% get six or fewer hours of sleep.
You may be saying to yourself:
“It’s fine. I’ll get more sleep when I’m retired!”
“I’ll survive this chaos at work and eventually get more sleep.”
“I’ll get more sleep on my next vacation.”
Your complicated relationship with sleep can go beyond just the dark circles under your eyes without you being aware of the negative dynamics of poor sleep. You might have good disposition and general good health but sleep and mental/physical health are very directly related. Mental/physical health issues can cause sleep problems and sleep deprivation can cause mental/physical health issues. Even worse, glorifying lack of sleep (for instance boasting about sleeping only 5 hours a night or sending work emails at 2 AM) can not only negatively impact others’ emotions, but also their behavior.
Considering the many health benefits of sleep, it seems to be suffering from a PR problem, so we decided to do some comprehensive marketing overhaul for it.
1. Sleep is Good for Your Hormonal Balance
Sleep regulates most hormone production and therefore can help you perform at a high level. Growth hormones are released during sleep, so that your body can maintain, repair, and build muscles. In addition, your thyroid function gets regulated and the insulin resistance decreases, reversing the effects that could result in uncontrolled type-2 diabetes.
2. Sleep Promotes Body's Repair/Healing Mechanism
15% of your DNA is controlled by the circadian rhythm, including your body’s repair system. Sleep helps consolidate memory and changes the cellular structure of the brain by providing a wash of cerebral spinal fluid that removes the damaging molecules associated with neurodegeneration.
3. Sleep Helps you Be a Better Leader
When leaders show up for work unrested, they are more likely to lose patience with employees, act in abusive ways and are seen as less charismatic. There is also a greater likelihood that the subordinates themselves will suffer from sleep deprivation, have lower levels of engagement and act unethically.
4. Sleep Is Directly Linked to Your Mood
Have you noticed how you become so grouchy and not fun to be around after a sleepless night? Your irritability and gloomy mood can in turn result in strained relationships, poor parenthood and making unwise decisions.
5. Sleep Leads to Enhanced Function of the Immune System and Lower Risk of Infection and Chronic Inflammation
Recent increases in reports of short sleep duration are concerning as insufficient sleep has been linked with a number of adverse health outcomes in the population. Most of these health complications can be a result of a weakened immune system and chronic inflammation within the body.
6. Sleep Can Make or Break Your Ability to Lose Weight
Owing to the growth hormones released when you sleep, your body can enhance its ability to utilize the fat reserves while you sleep, resulting in a decrease of fat. When your sleep suffers, the level of cortisol, a key stress hormone, goes up and that makes you consume more unhealthy food and store visceral aka belly fat.
7. Sleep Can Promote Longevity
According to a study, people who sleep for seven hours a night live the longest.
8. Sleep Results in More Glowing Skin
Your beauty sleep increases the production of growth hormones and boosts blood flow to the skin. As a result, your skincare routine gets a boost when you incorporate the right amount of sleep tailored to your needs.
9. Sleep Boosts Memory and Problem Solving Skills
Many things happen during NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) or the deepest stage of sleep, including memory consolidation. NREM sleep is thought to have a key function in the restoration of the brain by resetting the brain synapses. Upgrading your sleep lowers the risk of cognitive decline issues like Alzheimer’s disease and can help you have better memory. The enhanced memory linking within the brain can also improve your problem-solving skills.
10. Sleep Can Decrease the Risk of Stroke and Cardiovascular Disease
The effects of poor sleep are probably most damaging to your cardiovascular system. Several studies have shown an increased risk for heart attack, elevated blood pressure, heart failure and stroke due to insufficient or poor-quality sleep. The long-term consequences on the heart can be devastating for people who leave sleep-related breathing disturbances untreated.
Remember that sleep is never an inconvenience or a sign of laziness. Sleep is your best friend. You might be able to fit in a few more tasks if you shortchange your sleep but the quality of the work you do declines in ways that might be invisible to you.
Squeezing in more sleep might mean missing an episode of “The Crown”. Try watching it when you have hit the healthy amount of sleep your body needs. We promise it would be well worth the trade-off.