Drained Body Battery, Drained Life

Ever notice how much more likely you are to say, “Oh well, forget it,” and yield to things that take effort or surrender some willpower and subsequently abandon some goals when you’re tired and burnt out?

It was just a bad day… but then that turned into a whole week, which somehow turned into the whole month or year…

We all know that when we’re run down we can become more susceptible to illness and injury- that’s the physical part. But let’s talk briefly about the mental part…

Ever feel less focused and more irritable when you’re sleep-deprived? Things that mattered when you came back from vacation don’t matter much now. It was a good idea then. Now... it’s whatever.

When we are sleep deprived, our pre-frontal cortex (the space that we use to channel willpower and decision-making) suffers, leading to what’s called mild “prefrontal dysfunction,” where your brain’s ability to regulate emotions and attention (i.e. self-control) is altered. This leads to less overall productivity, more reckless decision-making, and more compounding stress.

You may think you’re getting more accomplished by skipping some hours of sleep, but the evidence is clear- the less sleep one gets, the less overall productivity and success one can expect. And the longer you go on this way, the more you’re potentially setting yourself back.

According to the National Library of Medicine, research has shown that it can take up to four days to recover from one hour of lost sleep and up to nine days to return the body to its baseline after being in a sleep “debt.”

Fun facts: Before the invention of the light bulb aka artificial light, the average person slept ten hours a night!

If we’re going to grow old healthier, and raise healthier generations behind us, we have to stop sacrificing quality sleep and adequate rest, and teach our kids/grandkids the same sleep hygiene.

This is why in my thirties and beyond, I tend to schedule life around my sleep instead of the other way around anymore. I make sleep quality the first priority for my clients as well, because it affects and determines outcomes regarding literally everything else.

The world is busy, but it’ll keep turning with or without us. Your loved ones, however, need you at your best, so get your rest. Resist the temptation to skip sleep thinking you will ultimately get more done.

For more tips on getting quality sleep:
https://facetedfitness.com/blog/b/how-sleep-can-make-or-break-your-health-and-fitness

Keep shining!

Your trainer and coach,

Kandis