Zzzzz... (aka The Damaging Effects of Sleep Deprivation)

Sleep is a crucial part of staying healthy. It allows your brain & body to process & repair. Being sleep deprived negatively impacts both your physical & emotional health. Without adequate sleep, chronic health conditions often worsen, weight gain is amplified, & simple, everyday decisions seem insurmountable.

Many Americans are sleep deprived. Are you? Check out Prevention's 5 Signs You're Sleep Deprived to find out.

Each person's sleep needs are different & often change as we age. However, the general recommendation for adults tends to be over 7 hours (insert snide laugh &/or snort). Shortchanging your body by even an hour can impact reaction time & task performance. A cumulative lack also lowers our immunity & makes us more injury prone.

Although equally important, sleep quality is often overlooked. For improvement tips, check out the National Sleep Foundation's The Sleep Environment.

HelpGuide.org's How Much Sleep Do You Need? offers an interesting look into sleep quantity, quality, the different stages of sleep, helpful tips, etc.

Happy snoozing!