Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Sleep is really important, and getting enough sleep is essential for good health. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults age 18 to 64 get seven to nine hours of sleep a night, and seven to eight hours if you’re 65 or older. Not getting enough sleep can cause all kinds of problems:

• Not getting enough sleep can cause your hunger mechanism to be off, so you crave sugars, sweets, carbs.
• Your risk of getting high blood pressure goes up, along with other things like diabetes.
• Your immune system doesn’t function at its best, leaving you at risk for colds, flu, and other viral diseases.
• Memory issues, both short-term and long-term, can occur when you are fuzzy from lack of sleep.
• You may get dizzy, increasing your risk of falls. Really not good for older people, but not good for younger ones, either.
• Your looks do not improve with less sleep, particularly after extended periods. Ever looked in the mirror and seen your face after only a few hours of sleep? Yikes!