Below is a lesson from eye zen hour's post on the importance of sleep to your well-being and performance, as well as our key learnings.

The Blue Courage team is dedicated to continual learning and growth.  We have adopted a concept from Simon Sinek’s Start With Why team called “Learn, Share, Grow”.  We are constantly finding great articles, videos, and readings that have so much learning.  As we learn new and great things, this new knowledge should be shared for everyone to then grow from.

If You Sleep Less Than 8 Hours A Day...

@eyezenhour

Sacrificing sleep is like taking out a high-interest loan on your health.

You might gain a few extra hours now, but the long-term costs are devastating.

Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and even cancer.

The debt compounds quickly.

Continue Reading Here.

Key Learnings:

1. Health Consequences of Sleep Deprivation:

   • Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to serious health issues such as obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer's, cancer, dementia, stroke, and heart attacks.
   • Even one night of insufficient sleep (4-5 hours) drastically reduces the effectiveness of natural killer cells that fight cancer by 70%.

2. Irreversible Effects:

   • Sleep debt cannot be compensated for by "catching up" on sleep during weekends; the negative effects on health, cognition, and emotional well-being are lasting.

3. Cognitive and Emotional Impairments:

   • Consistently sleeping less than 7 hours a night impairs focus, memory, and emotional stability.
   • Lack of sleep leads to cognitive impairments comparable to a blood alcohol level of 0.1% or staying awake for 48 hours straight.
   • Drowsy driving, due to sleep deprivation, causes more accidents than drugs and alcohol combined.

4. Performance Enhancement:

   • Proper sleep significantly improves reaction time, motor function, and creativity.
   • Athletes like LeBron James and Roger Federer prioritize sleep (up to 12 hours/day) for performance gains.

5. Circadian Rhythm and Sleep Quality:

   • Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and managing light exposure (getting sunlight in the morning, avoiding blue light at night) are crucial for aligning with the natural circadian rhythm.
   • Quality of sleep is critical, with peak restorative sleep occurring between 10pm and 2am.

6. Practical Sleep Improvement Tips:

   • Invest in a good quality mattress and pillow, and ensure the bedroom environment is conducive to sleep (cool, dark, and quiet).
   • Avoid caffeine after noon and screens 1-2 hours before bed.
   • Use sleep trackers to monitor and optimize sleep quality.

7. Sleep as a Biological Necessity:

   • Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night, treating it with the same priority as nutrition and exercise.
   • Sleep is fundamental to overall health and longevity, with research by Matthew Walker showing significant health risks associated with chronic lack of sleep.

8. General Advice:

   • Respect and protect your sleep, recognizing it as non-negotiable and essential for a healthy life span.