Do you think you can get by with much less than 8 hours of sleep every night?
Ever hear some person boast "Oh, I can get by on just 5 hours of sleep. I feel fine! I'm a powerhouse of energy. Those 3 extra hours each day are valuable to me." Believe it or not, lack of sleep affects you in subtle ways. When you're young, you can pull an all nighter, get a cat nap later in the day, and feel just fine. Or get by on 4 hours of sleep just so you can cram in a few more hours before that killer final exam. The truth is, our bodies don't really need much rest. Sleep is primarily for the mind. We all have the same basic organ in our heads. Sure, there are subtle differences, but for the most part, the function is the same. We ALL need sleep. Some people think that sleeping 5 hours a night will save them 3 hours a day, which tallies up to quite a few hours of productivity in one's life. Let's say at age 30, you find a way to start sleeping just 5 hours a day, rather than 8. And your life ends at age 80. So, for 50 years you slept just 5 hours a night. In the end, you gain roughly 6 1/4 years of awake time. That seems like a lot, doesn't it? That is... if you made it to 80. But less sleep lowers the strength of your immune system. It also puts stress on your body, as well as your mind. Subtle, in the background, sinister stress. And this increases your chances of contracting health issues. Not to mention that in reality, your mind just can't tolerate it. Those people who boast 5 hours a night of sleep end up sleeping quite a bit over the weekend. They kind of "make up" the time, so to speak. In essence, they really don't gain that much. And on top of it, they are putting themselves at a health risk. So in the end, it is best to get a good solid night's sleep. 7 hours minimum, 8 hours ideal.
