We all know we feel better when we sleep, but the benefits of sleep go far beyond a feel-good day at the office. Here are my top 5 reasons to get your 8 hours a night:
5. Get cat-like reflexes – You don’t have to be a professional athlete to enjoy beating your buddies at hockey. Need proof? Ask the Canucks what they think.
4. Find your keys – I’m serious, getting enough sleep can improve your memory. Check out this Scientific American podcast if you don’t believe me.
3. Lose weight – Turns out sleep has a direct impact on your weight. A recent study shows that “women who slept 5 hours per night were 32% more likely to experience major weight gain (an increase of 33 pounds or more) and 15% more likely to become obese over the course of the 16-year study” .
2. Be better looking – A story published by Men’s Health takes a look at some interesting effects of sleep apnea. Turns out the patients who had been diagnosed with the sleep disorder were deemed “more attractive” after treatment.
1. You’ll have more friends – Another insight from Men’s Health makes reference to a study that shows you may be more likely to stereotype others if you are tired. Specifically, your self-control is affected by a lack of sleep, and it is gets progressively worse.
Even if you think you are getting 8 hours a night, most people greatly underestimate the amount of sleep they are getting. Many people suffering from sleep-deprivation have no idea why. Trust your instincts, if you feel tired, grumpy and have a hard time finding your keys, your first steps should be to look to your personal sleep data. You could be missing out on a better-looking, nicer, more popular you.