Getting a good night’s sleep is the healthiest habit to incorporate into your life.  The amount and quality of sleep affect your entire being. The best way to know if you are getting enough sleep is to check how you feel when you wake up and then in midafternoon.

Good sleep averages 7-9 hours allowing the brain to get 2-3 hours of REM sleep During REM (rapid eye movement), your brain is most active, getting into the sorting and organizational phase. It’s during this stage that your brain is at its peak activity.

• Your Mood Sleep-deprived people fixate on the negative stimuli and can struggle to cope with even minor challenges. Positive people are more likely to be getting enough sleep
• Your Eyes. On-going issues of dry eye, eyestrain or eye fatigue can be related to not enough sleep.
• Your Heart. Night after night of not getting enough sleep can tax your cardiovascular system. Getting less than 6 good hours of sleep is associated with high blood pressure
• Your Productivity. Adequate sleep has a direct correlation with increased concentration and better cognitive function.
• Your Immune System. During sleep, your body produces cytokines hormones that support your immune system.  It also improves your hand-eye coordination, reaction time, and stamina.

So, if you are feeling droopy in the morning, or run down in the afternoon look at getting a better quality of sleep.