What is the cost of a bad night’s sleep?
You might be thinking: drowsiness, inattentiveness, slower response times… but nothing an extra cup of coffee can’t cure, right?
Wrong. Did you know that according to the National Sleep Foundation, humans are the only mammals that willingly postpone sleep? We have a lot to learn.
The effects of a bad night’s sleep can last much longer than a single cup of coffee…or even two.
- What about missing out on that next promotion because you zoned out in a few meetings, and when you came-to, everyone was looking at you. Expectantly.
- What about getting a “C-minus” on the final exam in school because you could never quite ignore the city noises, or the smell of smoke curling from under your roommate’s door every night, so paying attention in class became but a mere pipe dream?
- What about missing out on millions of dollars of lifetime earning potential because of your mediocre performance, due to lack of sleep? Okay, so maybe not millions of dollars, but certainly thousands, or even tens of thousands. In fact, World Economic Forum recently published an article regarding the link between sleep and poverty. Article.
- What about those groggy mornings, the day after cleaning out the garage, when you struggle to get out of bed, but the baby needed feeding, the dog needed walking, and you promised your mother you’d help her pick out new lampshades to bead-dazzle
When you start to connect the dots, you can see that sleep has a profound impact on your life, and while being sleep deprived is a way of life for millions of Americans, most people don’t know what their sleep-loss is actually costing them.
All humor aside, it is clear that a good night’s sleep is essential for both successful academic performance, for successful career performance, and for a full and happy home-life.
Countless studies prove that sleep is valuable.
Allergies, asthma, and dust interfere with sleep.
Allergies, ugh. Congestion, stuffy nose, itchy throat, watery eyes, sneezing, sinus headaches, and shortness of breath; any one of these symptoms is enough to ruin your night. You go to sleep wheezing, and wake up to a nose like Niagara Falls that no amount of Kleenex can dam, and a splitting headache that makes you question whether secret agents gave you a lobotomy in the middle of the night. Maybe now you have the power of telekinesis. So you slog out of bed and are disappointed to find that, no, you can’t move your toothbrush with your mind, and “I have allergies” is not a sufficient enough reason to warrant a doctor’s note.
Ask any allergy sufferer, and there will be no question that allergies have negatively affected their sleep some way, somehow. Academic studies are conclusive, as well, and here’s the consensus: Night time congestion contributes to daytime fatigue. Source.
How Air Purifiers Reduce Allergies and Improve Sleep >