You Snooze, You Don’t Lose
The dangers of inadequate sleep
Sleep is the cornerstone of our lives. The blissful state of unconsciousness takes up a third of our lives and refuels us for the day ahead. Despite its importance, sleep is neglected by many and seen as a nuisance rather than a period of relaxation. However, one’s ignorance of the value of sleep can be detrimental to their health and success.
For many, sleep feels unrewarding and perhaps a sign of weakness. Typically humans resent being reminded of any sense of mortality and fragility. Therefore we turn this necessity into a challenge. A low amount of sleep isn’t seen as a threat to your health, but rather a display of masculinity and maturity. This unhealthy delusion ironically can hinder growth and decreases testosterone, the exact opposite of what one is attempting to achieve when participating in this facade.
The issue of sleep deprivation is especially prominent in students. Many teenagers choose late-night studying over 8 hours of quality sleep. Contrary to your intuition, it would be more beneficial to opt for rest rather than to continue working. Sleep is crucial in the consolidation of long-term memories which is usually quite important considering most of our exams are just a memory test. Another benefit of sufficient sleep is that it improves your attention and concentration. Not only does sleep enable you to store long-term memories but it also helps you to create them.
This year COVID-19 has swept through the world leaving a viral carnage behind it. So this means that our health is more important now than it ever has been in our lives. We need to do anything possible to battle this deadly virus. Fortunately for us getting a good night’s sleep keeps your immune system strong and will help you if you do find yourself battling this deadly coronavirus. You can be safer simply by hitting the snooze button.
Stress has plagued people’s minds in this eventful year. Many have been worried about their employment, health and loved ones. In addition to this, the whole world entered lockdown, isolating us from our friends and even family. However, by getting a sufficient amount of sleep, you can combat stress and improve your mental health in general. With our physical health under threat, many have neglected their own mental health which is also extremely important amidst this chaos and confusion.
During lockdown, lots of people have put on ‘lockdown pounds’. They blame their diet and snacking habits they developed whilst at home but this isn’t the root of the cause. Throughout lockdown, many spent their nights' binge-watching Netflix and getting very minimal sleep. When tired people tend to overeat and junk which is what lead to thousands gaining weight. By getting more sleep, you can do wonders for your overall hunger and diet.
So next time you sleep in and are late for an event, just know you are doing your body a favour. However, like anything in life, sleep is best in moderation.
