The Benefits of a Great Night's Sleep

Did you know over 60% of adults have trouble sleeping a few nights a week or more? Our busy days can be so intense and thought-provoking that they can lead to sleepless nights. But being productive during the day is dependent on a good night's rest. Besides feeling exhausted, there are other effects of not getting enough sleep:

Decreased Performance and Alertness - Sleep deprivation reduces your alertness and leads to

poor performance. Reducing your sleep by as little as 1½ hours for a single night could result in a reduction of daytime alertness by as much as 32%.

Memory and Cognitive Impairment - Decreased alertness and excessive daytime sleepiness hinder your memory function along with your ability to think and process information.

On the other hand, getting a great night's rest has major benefits:

• Learning and Memory - Sleep encourages your brain to commit new information to memory.
• Metabolism and Weight - Irregular sleep may cause weight gain, by affecting the way our bodies handle carbohydrates and altering hormone levels related to appetite.
• Mood - Sleep loss has been known to result in more than just an inability to concentrate. It also leads to impatience and mood swings.
• Heart Health - Several serious sleep disorders are associated with hypertension, higher stress levels and irregular heartbeat.
• Immune Health - Lack of sleep weakens your body's immune function.