Health authorities recommend that we should have at least eight hours to sleep. But it’s already a reality of modern life that in our work-oriented cultures, many of us get only seven or fewer hours of sleep. Even if you think that it doesn’t really much of a difference, the effects are far-reaching.
Constant sleep deprivation actually leads to stress and tension and can cause difficulty in copying with the demands of life. Some of the warning signs of sleep deprivation include fatigue, irritability, difficulty in concentrating, and depression. It also leads to a host of physical ailments ranging from small aches and pains to heart disease and fatigue.
Our own internal timepieces
We all have a biological clock found in the brain, which controls the time we eat and rest, our body temperature, immune system activity, as well as other body functions. We all have our own personal sleep patterns: some of us are morning people, while others are night people. Thus, problems naturally arise when we ignore our natural body rhythms.
Sleep experts say that if you ignore your biological clock by working and playing at any time of the day or night, you’re setting the stage for illness, injury and even early death. Just as it’s important to avoid alcohol or have an exercise program, it’s equally important to have a regular bedtime schedule.
People who don’t give enough time for sleep or are engaged in shift work where sleep patterns are disturbed are at risk for cardiovascular disease. A study made on hospital staff who have been engaged in shift work (similar to working in call centers) for sustained time periods show an increased risk of heart failure. The heart, after all, needs some time for rest in order to recharge itself. Lack of sleep can also lead to depression, along with an impairment in people’s capabilities to operate efficiently in daily life.
If you can practice just enough discipline to maintain a regular daily schedule, there’s really no need to say up late. Instead of staying glued to the TV for hours why not turn it off? If you have a hard time trying to sleep, read until you get drowsy. A good sleep each night beats going on an expensive vacation.
Try to get the best our of sleep by getting a deep sleep. Known clinically as stage 3 and 4 sleep, deep sleep is where most of our bodies natural regeneration takes place. During this healing and repair process, the body secretes the most growth hormone. This helps you feel young in body, mind and spirit. So remember, one of the secrets of staying young is to sleep like a baby!