Life is busy – we all know that. There’s never enough time, the inbox keeps flooding
with CC’s, and stress adds even more weight to the entire situation. We make
regular sacrifices to stay “on top” of our hectic lifestyles, but in many cases, the
biggest sacrifice we make is the one we can’t afford to lose -- sleep.
May 1st marks the beginning of “Better Sleep Month,” and with that comes the
reminder of this potentially damaging sacrifice of sleep deprivation. We all know we
could be getting better sleep, and yet we don’t give it (or ourselves) the time it
deserves. And while it may seem difficult, the end result of alertness, strength, and
increased productivity are the functions we need to accomplish the goals that we
work so hard to crush.
The truth is that we can all achieve better sleep – here’s how to get started:
The Consequences of Inadequate Sleep
If there’s one thing to learn during “Better Sleep Month,” it’s that having inadequate
sleep can lead to many ailments that make the problem worse. We cut our sleep
time for the sake of productivity, but how productive can we be without a sound
mind? Losing out on sleep affects the ability to concentrate on tasks which could
then lead to errors in judgment or the ironic decline of quality work.
Lacking restful sleep could also adversely affect your health. Chronic sleep
deprivation over a long period of time may lead to conditions like diabetes, obesity,
high blood pressure, one of many heart conditions, depression/anxiety or even
attention deficit disorder. We have to now ask ourselves, “now that we know how
bad lack of sleep can be, what can we do about it?”
Achieving Better Sleep
When it comes to developing better sleep patterns, awareness is everything.
Knowing the issues that may lie ahead from lack of sleep is elementary, but follow
up actions are absolutely necessary. Addressing the stressors in your life and finding ways to minimize or manage them makes finding a path to sleep much easier. The overall goal is to find a way to fit it into your lifestyle without having to sacrifice too much.
