There are few pleasures in life greater than a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, for most of us, sleep has become elusive. According to the CDC, more than one-third of adults get under 7 hours of sleep a night, and Gallup research suggests that our sleep duration and quality have both been going down over the past 70 years. The result? We’re exhausted, we’re performing worse at our jobs, and some of us are even losing our lives.
From a health standpoint, a lack of sleep can have devastating consequences. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 56,000 car crashes each year can be attributed to a sleepy driver. Even if you’re not behind the wheel, that drowsiness can still have detrimental effects on your health. The Nurses’ Health Study, which followed a group of 68,183 women over 16 years, reveals that women who regularly experienced short-duration sleep had higher rates of obesity by the end of the study than those who slept over 7 hours a night, and those who slept just 5 or 6 hours were much more likely to gain over 30 pounds during the study period.
It’s time we regain our sleep, our sanity, and set ourselves up for a healthier future. Discover the countless ways Sleep Deprivation is Sabotaging Your Zero Belly and fight back with the 25 Ways to Sleep Better Tonight!