By Melissa Milanak, PAR Clinical Assessments Advisor/National Accounts
Do I really need to sleep? We hear phrases like “time is money,” “you snooze you lose,” and even the extreme “I’ll sleep when I’m dead!” For many years, being the first person in and the last to leave exemplified a hard worker. However, society has recently become more aware that quality, sustained sleep plays a significant role in reducing health risk and improving immune system functioning, impacts weight—loss and gain—and even influences the appearance of wrinkles (there truly is something to beauty sleep!). Sleep also plays a vital role in memory, attention, focus, and concentration, which are very important for optimizing performance and making meaningful connections.
On the other side of the equation, insomnia affects an average of 10% of the population, and many other people find that there are plenty of things keeping them awake at night that leave them feeling tired and distracted most of the time. These could be short-term items such as a new baby, a new puppy, or a neighbor whose car alarm wakes you up every night, but there are other stressors (such as a virus pandemic) that threaten your finances, livelihood, and health and prevent your mind from shutting off. Regardless of the culprit, improving quality sleep is of utmost importance.
Here is a list of tips, tricks, and FAQs to help you fall asleep faster, sleep through the night, and wake up feeling rested!
Imagine if we were as diligent at making sure we are recharging our minds and bodies (putting ourselves “on the charging station”) as we are with our phones!