What Can Lack Of Sleep Do To You?
Do not underestimate the importance of sleep. We lead busy lives full of responsibilities and goals that sometimes interfere with our sleep hygiene. After a long day of work, the last thing you want to do is go to sleep, only to wake up and go to work again; where is the excitement?
After a long day of work, you want to spend time with your family, play your favorite video game, drink a beer and watch “the game” or rent a new movie. But sometimes this pattern has to be broken by a good night’s sleep. The truth is that a good sleep hygiene will help you enjoy your downtime much more.
A lack of sleep can flip your personality upside down and turn you into someone who you are not: miserable, irritable, rude, defensive and easily annoyed. Your school and work performance may decrease; your concentration becomes subpar. You may lose interest in exercising; playing a sport may become more challenging and less interesting.
Many people underestimate the importance of sleep because they feel as if they are not gaining much from it; after all, the saying goes, “sleep is the cousin of death.” But in reality, sleep is when memories become consolidated, your mind and body recuperate, your fatigue dissipates and your mood stabilizes.
Developing the following sleep hygiene is crucial to reaping the benefits of sleep:
- Go to sleep at the same hour every night
- Wake up at the same hour every morning
- Leave your bed after 30 minutes if you cannot fall asleep (the bed is only for sleep and sex)
- Do not eat or drink a couple of hours prior to sleep
- Do not consume alcohol a couple of hours prior to sleep
- Do not exercise a couple of hours prior to sleep
- Do not use electronics prior to sleep
- Do not read, watch television or use the internet prior to sleep
- Do not rely on sleeping medications
Once you start to appreciate the benefits of sleep, you will become thankful for rediscovering a fresh and vibrant version of yourself!
Are you Ready? (This is Defeating Stigma Mindfully)
DSM (Defeating Stigma Mindfully) 
Yes, a consistent sleeping pattern is critically important to a good life. Getting up early and feeling well-rested makes a good day much more likely. I agree with most of the guidelines, but I think that some light exercise and reading can be useful for good sleep quality.
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I agree too. But the reason that it’s not advised is because it can easily develop into a more intense exercise or reading session. So to avoid that, we recommend against it.
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