Over the years, I have heard people say, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”, or “sleep is for losers”.  In fact, my best friend might recall a late night text from me saying something similar. I’m not alone in this sentiment as many go-getters and party animals probably still feel the same way. I have regrets about this now and maybe it’s an older me talking, but I wish someone would’ve told me about this sooner.  I didn’t learn this in pharmacy school either so I didn’t sleep much those four years. Now, I’m aware that science says you cannot make up for sleep by sleeping more on other nights. Especially, if the sleep debt has been going on for weeks. Sleep deprivation can mess up our circadian rhythms and disrupts hormone balance. (This doesn’t sound like a big deal, we have a crap load of hormones in our body, so IT IS a big deal).

Sleep positively affects just about every cell in our bodies. When we sleep, the brain detoxifies itself and there aren’t many ways in which the brain can do this otherwise. We form memories during sleep and allow our brain to consolidate the day’s experiences. Not only that, but our body also goes through a process of repairing and restoring as well. The amount of sleep each person needs varies. You can figure this out by finding a few days when you can allow your body to dictate when you go to bed and wake up naturally without any alarms. It is helpful to avoid using devices or watching TV a couple hours before your perceived bedtime on these days. This can interfere with your natural sleep cycle. Count the hours you slept and take the average. It is important to prioritize sleep for our health and lose that mentality that sleep is a waste of time. We must learn to listen to our bodies and give it the rest it requires so it can be more productive for us when we need it. I invite you to appreciate sleep more and make it a high priority in your daily routine to improve your health.