BY MARILYN C. ARAYATA
That feeling when you do not have enough sleep –tired all day. You can’t focus. You become irritable. You feel slow and unproductive. Sleep is not a luxury. It’s important for everyone’s physical and mental health. Make sure you have enough of it.
Sleeping is important not just to make you energetic, focused, and alert. It also improves the body’s immune function and helps fight infections. You probably noticed that it’s easier to catch a cold during those days when you do not have enough sleep. Have at least eight hours of sleep each day to help bolster your immune system. (Sleeping well is one thing. Stress reduction and having a healthy lifestyle are also needed.)
According to Harvard Health, people who regularly get fewer than six hours of sleep are “at higher risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cognitive decline, and death from any cause.” It also says that a lack of restful sleep also “makes it more likely that a person will gain weight and have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol.” Further, it stressed that sleep is “essential for avoiding or reducing risk of cognitive decline.”
Have a fixed schedule for going to bed and waking up so your body will become conditioned to it. Wear loose and comfortable clothing. Avoid too much caffeine and loud noises at night so that your sleep will not be disrupted.
Finally, remember not to drive any vehicle if you are sleepy. A number of reported road accidents are caused not by the drivers’ carelessness but by the fact that they fell asleep while driving. Sleep well and stay safe!
