The effects of not getting enough sleep are painful in and of themselves — but there are also health effects that won’t be immediately evident. Which explains why the CDC is demanding Americans get more rest.
Sleep deprivation may aggravate or even help cause Type 2 diabetes, raise your chances of heart attack and stroke, make you heftier around the waistline, and trigger by far our worst epidemic, lengthy obnoxious coffee orders. It’s not just your health they’re worried about, either — a third of Americans have fallen asleep behind the wheel, causing 71,000 injuries.
FACT: Lack of sleep makes us monsters, people.
The good news is that 65 percent of us are getting at least seven hours, with South Dakotans rating the highest in sleep satisfaction at 71 percent. So how do we get enough sleep? First of all, try to set a definite sleep schedule and stick to it. If you block off a rough seven hours every day and get that sleep, over time your body will get into a rhythm. Secondly, expose yourself to natural light as much as you can; it helps your body set a schedule and stick more to it. And, of course, get more exercise. Just think of getting enough sleep as a way to take fewer trips to the gym.
(Via the CDC)
