Why is sleep so important?

I remember my Dad always saying he only needed 6 hours of sleep.

That was while I was growing up. He was working as a full-time doctor.

Fast forward to today, he admits he was fooling himself all those years. He was overcompensating by trying to make it work. It wasn’t.

Sleep is crucial for information processing and memory consolidation.

Do you need to come up with a solution to a complex problem? The best solution? Sleep.

Sleep is how we clear toxins. If you are already at risk of Alzheimer's or dementia, poor sleep can be an added risk factor.

A tired brain is likely to make us more irritable.

When we are tired, we pay more attention to the negative experiences and less to the positive ones. Lack of sleep can change our entire outlook on life.

Many people don’t necessarily have the luxury of getting enough sleep. However, we can all do a couple of things to improve our sleep quality:

✨ Get as much morning light as possible (helps regulate your cycle)
✨ Limit coffee and alcohol intake
✨ Sleep in a cold and dark space
✨ If you wake during the night, keep the lights low. Don’t look at illuminated screens/clocks
✨ Keep your routines as consistent as possible (even on weekends)

How do you prioritize good sleep?