culled from:cityam.com
If you’re going to make one resolution for 2015, this should be it.
According to recent research from the University of Surrey, not
getting enough sleep can have a far more serious impact on your health
than you might imagine. Researchers discovered that, compared to those
who enjoyed 7.5 hours of sleep per night, the genes associated with
diabetes and developing cancer were far more active in those who slept
just an hour less. Yet the average person in the UK gets just 6.5 hours
each night, and work pressures mean that many of us struggle to stay in
bed that bit longer (even when we want to). But if you’re going to make
one New Year’s resolution this year, getting enough sleep should be it.
SLEEP LOGIC
Many City workers cut the number of hours of sleep they take in
order to compete in their jobs. And examples of business leaders who
manage to get by on very little are legion. Yahoo chief executive
Marissa Mayer, for example, reportedly sleeps between four and six hours
a night, while Donald Trump gets by on just three to four hours.
This approach seems logical. After all, how can you succeed if
you’re asleep? Trump has questioned how someone sleeping 12 hours a day
can expect to compete with someone sleeping three to four hours. And as
researchers at the University of Oxford revealed last year, after
falling for all categories of workers for decades, from the 1980s, the
total number of weekly hours worked has risen for the highest educated –
including those in the City.
HOW MUCH DO WE ACTUALLY NEED?
But while the amount of sleep needed varies between individuals,
and some will be able to manage on very little, it is still important to
wake up feeling refreshed and ready to face the day. If you constantly
reach for coffee or energy drinks before feeling able to function in the
morning, it could be time to get an extra hour or two.
Indeed, this link with productivity is important. Memory problems
and stress are just two everyday issues exacerbated by lack of sleep.
Other problems associated with it include irritability, slow reactions,
increased risk taking, and an inability to learn. Maintaining a good
level of sleep can help with these issues, and should also keep you
focused on your goals.
NOT A LUXURY
Sleep is a time for your brain to work through the information and
memories that you have gained from the day, sorting and storing them as
appropriate. By not getting enough sleep, your ability to process what
is going on and make decisions is reduced. Getting enough sleep means
that you’ll wake up clear headed and ready to take in more information
that day.
Sleep is restorative, so having enough time in which your mind can
restore itself enables you to handle stress, irritation and emotional
trauma effectively. When it’s busy and stressful at work or at home,
sleep can seem like a luxury. But ensuring you get enough is an
essential step in making sure you are at peak performance. If you get
enough sleep this year, both your career and family will benefit.
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