Our everyday life is full of responsibilities, performance and time pressure. Not only in work-life, but very often our private life is full of appointments, too. More or less joyfully attended. To meet a set deadline, very often the day gets expanded –- at the expense of the night. Furthermore, a strenuous day is prolonged, after all, there is more in life than just working and sleeping. Mostly, with little relaxing things like TV or computer.
Anyway, when finally in bed, cutting off and falling asleep is impossible. Circling thoughts, too less exercise, dinner too late and –- due to the lack of time –- not really healthy. These things are reason for the fact that the few hours we would indulge in sleep are further shortened. Due to the missing recreation of body, mind and soul it is not only that we are waking up next morning feeling knocked out but mostly we are not capable to fulfill our daily duties. So, what to do? Deadlines have to be met and perceived, obligations fulfilled. Hence, the day is getting longer, once again. A vicious circle that increases the pressure and finally is negatively affecting our health.
Symptoms of too less and/or too bad sleep are often similar to a dreaded disease: burnout. Lack of motivation, exhaustion –- total emptiness and weakness. There are numerous studies which prove that you need sufficient and recreational sleep if you want to meet the daily pressure healthy and successful. A car with an empty tank won’t take you anywhere, no matter how urgently you want to arrive at your aim. With us human beings it is just the same: without “filling up” during sleep we won’t get far. But, there is much more to sleep: if you pass all sleeping phases and if you take enough time to sleep –- adults need seven to eight hours of sleep, on an average — you are not only recharging your batteries. During sleep you are detoxifying, strengthening your immune-system, processing new impressions, save learned things in the brain and make them available …
A sufficient amount of healthy, recreational sleep makes us more effective and thus cope more easily with daily pressure. And supports us in spending our lifetime healthier, more balanced and happier.
Image Source: ©fotolia