Do you wish you could get more sleep? Or do you brag about how you can manage on much less than the standard 8 hours a night? Or both? Then this article from Mother Jones by Indre Viskontas is for you. It summarizes nine main reasons why we should get more sleep. The information comes from an interview with sleep researcher Matt Walker conducted by the Inquiring Minds podcast (which I listened to this morning and which I highly recommend if you enjoy podcasts and science). I was surprised to hear some of the information presented in the podcast – especially about things like the effects of sleep deprivation on immune function and on regulation of blood sugar. So read the article, listen to the podcast, and don’t feel guilty for sleeping long nights or taking an afternoon nap. And if you feel like you just don’t have time in your life for more sleep – you have kids, long work hours, a social life to maintain – perhaps it’s worth looking at those obligations and seeing if you can find ways to make your own health a higher priority. I bet your ability to tend to those other obligations will improve!
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