November is National Sleep Comfort Month, and we want to make sure you’re getting the best rest possible! Sleep plays a huge role in your health and wellbeing, a lack of proper sleep could have damaging effects on your mental and physical health as well as your safety. If you’ve ever experienced a lack of sleep, you know first hand how it can significantly affect your daily performance. We have put together some great tips for you on how to get a good night’s sleep [infographic]. These tips will mean a lot more to you if you have a deeper insight on how critical it is to get proper sleep, so let’s dive into that first!
Learning and Emotions
As you sleep, your brain is forming new pathways. A good night’s sleep makes it possible for you to better learn and solve problems. A lack of sleep may result in difficulty learning and remembering information. It can also inhibit your ability to make decisions, as well as controlling your emotions and dealing with change.
Physical
Sleep helps heal and repair your heart and blood vessels. Therefore a lack of sleep can contribute to an increased risk of disease. Sleep deficiency also puts you at a higher risk of obesity. Adequate sleep helps keep your hormones balanced, and some of these hormones affect your appetite, making it irregular when you lack sleep. Your immune system function is also very dependent on sleep, deficiency can change the way it responds to attacks, causing you to get sick much easier.
Daily Performance & Safety
When you get enough sleep it is much easier to be productive and take on tasks. When you try and take on these tasks when you are sleep deprived you may find yourself taking longer than usual, and making more mistakes.
Microsleep
Microsleep is an incredibly dangerous result of sleep deficiency. It is described as moments when a person suddenly falls asleep for a few seconds at a time when they are normally awake. Research has shown that certain parts of the brain can going into “sleepmode” while the rest of the brain remains awake. Microsleep is especially dangerous, and can even be fatal, when you are driving.
The drawbacks of sleep deprivation are clear. Take sleep seriously, for you and for others. Continue on to our infographic for tips on how to get a good night’s sleep. Goodnight!
