The Power of Sleep

Following Science Friday on Twitter drew my attention to an article on sleep by Scientific American. “Lots or Little Sleep Linked to Sick Days” by Christie Nicholson caused me to call into question the effect sleep has on everyone’s life and how complicated sleep really is. When it comes to sleep it is about finding the perfect balance between too much and too little. Based on statistics highlighted in the article, people who get too little or too much sleep have an increased likelihood of missing work or school. The ideal amount of sleep to get each night is seven hours and 38 minutes for women, and seven hours and 46 minutes for men in order to feel refreshed and ready for the next day. Not allowing your body to receive the rest it needs could lead to an increased risk of disease and other complications such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular problems. These complications are not only the result of a lack of sleep but are due to the way our energy influences our activity level and lifestyle choices. A preventative measure to ensure a healthy life balance is to monitor one’s own sleep patterns and logging the amount of sleep they get each night. Although getting too little sleep causes us to be tired and less motivated, getting too much sleep has the same effect, it’s about finding the balance of sleep that leaves a person motivated to work through the day.

Overall this source gives readers a good idea of the importance to monitor sleep, however, an interesting follow up would be information identifying environmental factors and their contribution to sleep and wellness. This research surveyed 4000 Finnish professionals of both genders between the ages of 30 and 64. Although the stats are comprehensive they may not be very applicable to the average working American due to factors such as the environment, geographic location, and cultural quality of life standards. It would also be helpful to know the demands in a typical Finnish workday.

As I apply this information to my typical sleep routine I realize I am already following many of these suggestions. Typically I sleep 11pm-6am. Although this is under the recommended amount for men I find that I feel plenty refreshed with this amount of sleep. Having this routine in my youth makes me optimistic that I will be able to continue this sleep pattern through my adult years. I am also sensitive to my body’s need for additional rest at times and the impact sleep has on my physical health. Having this awareness will not only help me professionally, but will help maintain my physical health going forward.