Barbara Ward-Finneran
It's no secret that the busier you get in your life the more your "night's" sleep suffers. So often even when exhausted and ready to call it a night, you can't get your mind to turn off. Or, you are so sleep deprived that dozing off isn't the problem. It's practically instantaneous if you hold still for more then ten seconds. But then, something wakes you during the night. It doesn't even matter what it is but now you are awake and tossing and turning. Mind racing stuck in a "think". Stuck with the thoughts racing through your head like cars on a LA freeway. Stuck with stress whether awake or trying to sleep. It's a wicked cycle. You need more sleep to be more productive and yet being more productive creates stresses that disrupt sleep.
You don't have to be a genius to figure out that lack of shut eye can have negative effects on your health. The question therein is, how does one balance all that needs to be done and still get enough sleep to ward off the laundry list of negative side effects of a sleep deficit like; weight gain, memory loss, mood swings, increased risk for heart disease, etc... the list goes on and on.
Scoring the right amount of sleep is crucial to your well being. It refreshes the mind and is essential for good health. Many studies recommend 7-8 hours of sleep for adults. In our hyper busy round the clock world is it any wonder that most of us don't hit that mark? Is the key actually sleeping more or stressing less?
