14 hours sleep time - 6 reasons why you should Sleep!

I know I'm a big advocate for the saying "sleep when you are dead" but this week I simply crashed and slept 14 hours straight after a bout of "sleepless in Seattle" moments, running from one projects to the next.

But the 14 hours that I forcefully embraced was so needed if I was to sustain the things I do. I did feel slightly guilty, as I retrospected on what "things" I could be doing in 14 hours instead of lying motionless in one place for such an extended period of time.

All I can say is sleep is vital. After 14 hours of crashing and burning, my battery pack was recharged to the full and I'm able to think much more clearly and sharply without the use of a mix of "bad for the body" concoction of things.

So here are 6 things why sleep is important:

1. Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.

2. Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.

3. Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.

4. Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.

5. Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.

6. Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.