Sleep is one thing that many of us just are not getting enough of. Unfortunately, when we don’t get enough sleep, it starts to impact our mental and physical wellbeing.
Consider these fast facts:
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After just one night of only 4-5 hours sleep, your natural killer cells – the ones that attack the cancer cells that appear in your body every day – drop by 70%.
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Sleep deprivation can cause prediabetes in healthy adults in as little as 6 days.
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Loss of just 90 minutes of sleep can result in a 32% reduction in daytime alertness.
Sleep allows us to “clear out the cobwebs”. When you sleep, your body has a chance to recharge and repair itself. Sleep literally helps clear out the cobwebs from the previous day.
A night of uninterrupted sleep leaves your body and mind rejuvenated for the next day. If sleep is cut short, the body doesn’t have time to complete all of the phases needed for muscle repair, memory consolidation and release of hormones regulating growth and appetite.
Tired, sleepy workers are 70% more likely to be involved in accidents than workers that are well rested.
Lack of sleep takes a serious toll on perception and judgement. In the workplace, this leads to reduced efficiency and productivity, errors and accidents. Don’t risk it!
When it comes to sleep and your mental wellbeing, check out the graphic below. You’re also welcome to download it and share it with colleagues who might need a reminder about the importance of a good night sleep.