There are periods of time in our lives when we put in long hours. We get up early. We stay up late. We grab a few hours of sleep and get back at it, often feeling pooped-out and kind of grumpy.
We need to prioritize getting more sleep. Adults should sleep 7 or more hours per night on a regular basis to promote optimal health.
Sleeping less than 7 hours per night on a regular basis is associated with adverse health outcomes, including weight gain, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and depression. Sleeping less than 7 hours per night is also associated with impaired immune function, increased pain, impaired performance, increased errors, and greater risk of accidents.
The importance of getting enough sleep seems obvious, but it is perhaps the most violated principle of good health.
Think about this, everyone knows that athletes must get enough sleep and adequate rest prior to competition for peak performance. Hey, it’s the same for you and your performance at work. Whether our obstacle is an athletic event or an organizational challenge, the same physiological changes are activated in our bodies. No matter what we do for a living, we all require adequate rest so that our energy is at maximum levels when we need it.
After a challenging day or event, we need rest to recoup our resources. Getting enough rest is necessary and extremely beneficial. Adequate rest can help us be more productive and industrious.
Be sure to sleep long enough so your body can restore itself; it’s the only one you have.
If you need to find a keynote speaker, plenary speaker, breakout speaker, concurrent session speaker, seminar leader, or workshop facilitator who can deliver in-person, virtually, or via prerecorded session, Kit Welchlin, M.A., CSP, CVP, is a nationally recognized professional motivational speaker and author and can be found at www.welchlin.com or www.SeminarsOnStress.com.