I recently listened to a podcast about Randy Gardner, the Guinness World Records holder for the longest time without sleep. Mr. Gardner stayed awake for 264.4 hours. That’s 11 days and 25 minutes. Talk about a nightmare!! Mr. Gardner’s record was back in the 60s when there were minimal studies on the negative health effects of sleep deprivation. Since then, Guinness World Records ahs removed this category from their records.
Sticking to bedtime is the first step in getting a good night’s rest. Why is sleep so important, you may ask? (Seriously, I don’t know who would ask that.) Because in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, your body needs time to rest and reset. A good night’s sleep is equally important to eating healthy and exercising. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults and young adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep. And you don’t have to tell me twice… I love sleeping! Being a nerd who loves charts and now that I have bought a new Fitbit band through a site like Mobile Mob, I am now able to utilize my Fitbit in order to track my sleep, analyze my cycle, and accomplish my sleep goals.
Below are 7 reasons why a solid night’s rest is important for your lifestyle.
- Improve productivity and concentration
- Improve your immune function
- Maximize athletic performance
- Sleep affects emotions and social interactions
- Poor sleepers have a greater risk of heart disease and stroke
- Poor sleep is linked to depression
- Poor sleep can make you fat
