Ultimately the purpose of sleep is to take time for the body to renew.
To re-energize.
To recover.
To prepare for the next foray into the world.
It amazes me how our society, and, specifically, business owners look at sleep.
Now, I am not a sleep scientist. I am not someone who has fist full of research studies on the benefits of sleep. However, I can tell you that I feel better with a good night’s sleep, and less so at the end of a week with only 5-6 hours per night.
So what is up with that?
We know sleep is key to productivity, to creative thought and getting things done. Yet, when we read about so and so who gets 5 hours of sleep per night and is a multi-billionaire ….well …we almost take a run at it and try to go a few days of less sleep. We try and get up earlier without adjusting bed time – in order to get more done. And….well, it does not work.(Our immune system gets supressed and we are more likely to get sick and ….oops , not the science guy, sorry).
We live in the society of the sleep deprived, hopped up on energy drinks and caffeine trying to conduct their own experiment that sleep is overrated! (not convinced? how does that few hour energy drink get to be so successful -who is their target market? Yep. You got it !!)
Almost like Sam Elliott in Roadhouse “I will sleep when I am dead”
The reality is …we are closer to death without proper sleep.
Our society does not value renewal of any kind when you think of it – sleep, unplugged time, down time, holidays.
Am I the only one that feels exhausted on the first 3 days of a holiday? Could it be because it is a forced rest? A rest away from the office? Time for our body to actually recover? What about those who don’t take holiday? When do they ever uncoil?
One of my business partners takes the battery out of his smartphone on Friday at 7pm and puts back in Monday at 830am. He is one of the most productive, focused people I know. (Which is good because he is in charge of the money!).
Lesson to this rambling?
Our bodies need to recover.
Rest is not overrated.
It is like nutrition and exercise, where what you do today you may not feel the effect immediately. However, down the road it will take it’s toll. We will only believe it when we get to 80 years old!
Bottom line – get to bed earlier or sleep in later.
Get some rest. Superman (and Wonder Woman) are Superfriends, they are not you and me!