A good night’s sleep is what all of us crave for but don’t usually get. Recently there has been a trend of romanticizing less sleep and working late in the night but most people don’t understand really how important sleep is. It is known for the best healing of both your body and brain. It rejuvenates your sore muscles, improves the immune system, cleans up your digestive track, repairs and heals heart and blood vessels. gives you energy enough for the next day and all in all, a fresh feeling.
That’s about the physical aspects of sleep, but what about productivity and mental health?
- Overnight Solving of problems: Sounds unreal doesn’t it? Like I said in my first post – New Beginnings, the brain works 3 times as fast when asleep than it does while you are awake. So when you go to bed with something on your mind, you wake up with a solution like your sleeping brain had been working on it – which it had.
- Washing away of brain toxins: A toxic brain? Yep! That’s exactly what you have at the end of your day. As most of us know, the brain is made up of neurons which work on chemicals called neurotransmitters and neuro-modulators which might not get re-absorbed by the next neuron. These along with metabolic toxins, keep floating around in your brain, hindering brain activity. When you sleep, your neurons shrink and it becomes easier for the toxins to flow out and make your brain clean and fresh again.
- Clear thinking: When the brain is full of toxins thinking becomes difficult and clouded. This also happens when you are stressed or panicking. Your neurons emit neurotransmitters but they don’t get reabsorbed fast enough. A toxin-free brain helps in clear and calm thinking.
- Software Update: Your brain, is your body’s CPU. So it’s obvious that when you learn something, a procedure, school/college lesson or even a response, your wires (neurons) get connected and reprogrammed. In this process, synapses are generated (Synaptogenesis) and the process happens through-out a healthy person’s lifetime. This “update” needs some “no active usage time” which is your sleep duration.
- Dream School: The concept of “Sleep and Learn” might sound like the most irksome thing on this planet to those who haven’t experienced it. Dreaming about a concept makes it easier to learn and often has a lasting impact.
- Sound and Safe: Well, the saying is “Safe and Sound” but a sound sleep keeps you alert the next day and prevents you from causing several mistakes that can be tragic or even fatal. It indirectly safeguards your life, career and relations.
- Better Relations: A study showed that if you sleep less, you are less likely to pick up subtle yet detrimental signs of anger and happiness. This could lead to gaps in relations. You would want to lose sleep and work just to lose on your close ones too… would you?
- Bridge to Hope: “The best bridge from despair to hope is a good night’s sleep.” said E Joseph Cossman. During the night time, your happy hormone (noradrenaline) levels are low and this is caused by the moon’s energy and high influence. So, the later you stay up, the more depressed you are likely to feel. For the same tranquility during work, it’s a good idea to wake early and get things done as your hormone levels are normal and your brain is fresh.
(See: The 5 AM Club, The 5 AM Miracle)
So those were the 8 most important reasons why sleep is crucial for good mental health and productivity. Although the concept of 5 AM Club and 5 AM Miracle sound very appealing, do not shorten your sleep duration. An average human need 6-7 hours of sleep each day. Always remember “Early to bed, early to rise, makes you healthy, wealthy and wise.” Your sleep is a priority and abundance of productivity will follow.
Skepseis 