Having enough time to rest

Why is sleep so important?

The quality of your sleep directly affects your mental and physical health and the
quality of your waking life, including your productivity, emotional balance, brain
and heart health, immune system, creativity, vitality, and even your weight. No
other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort!

When you’re scrambling to meet the demands of a busy schedule, though, or just
finding it hard to sleep at night, getting by on less hours may seem like a good
solution. But even minimal sleep loss can take a substantial toll on your mood,
energy, mental sharpness, and ability to handle stress. And over the long-term,
chronic sleep loss can wreak havoc on your mental and physical health.

Sleep isn’t merely a time when your body shuts off. While you rest, your brain
stays busy, overseeing biological maintenance that keeps your body running in
top condition, preparing you for the day ahead. Without enough hours of
restorative sleep, you won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a
level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on “service” and you’re
headed for a major mental and physical breakdown.

The good news is that you don’t have to choose between health and productivity.
By addressing any sleep problems and making time to get the sleep you need
each night, your energy, efficiency, and overall health will go up. In fact, you’ll
likely get much more done during the day than if you were skimping on shuteye
and trying to work longer.

How much sleep do I need?

Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of good quality sleep on a regular schedule each night. Make changes to
your routine if you can't find enough time to sleep.
Getting enough sleep isn’t only about total hours of sleep. It’s also important to get good quality sleep on
a regular schedule so you feel rested when you wake up.

If you often have trouble sleeping – or if you often still feel tired after sleeping – talk with your doctor.

It may seem obvious that sleep is beneficial. Even without fully grasping what sleep does for us, we
know that going without sleep for too long makes us feel terrible, and that getting a good night's sleep
can make us feel ready to take on the world.
Scientists have gone to great lengths to fully understand sleep's benefits. In studies of humans and
other animals, they have discovered that sleep plays a critical role in immune function, metabolism,
memory, learning, and other vital functions. The features in this section explore these discoveries and
describe specific ways in which we all benefit from sleep.
Why Do We Sleep, Anyway?
Although scientists aren't entirely sure why we sleep, they have many ideas about the functions of this
mysterious part of our lives. While some of these functions may have deep evolutionary roots, others,
such as sleep's potential role in memory and health, seem particularly relevant to life in the 21st
century. more
Sleep, Learning, and Memory
It may not be surprising that it is more difficult to take in new information following a night of
inadequate or disturbed sleep. What’s more surprising is that it is just as important to get a good
night’s sleep after learning something new in order to process and retain the information that has
been learned. more
Harvard University

A resource from the Division of Sleep Medicine at