We’ve all done it, we stayed up late watching the big game, dancing the night away or cramming for a big exam. At the time these hours of lost sleep barely even create a blip on the radar, however your body can feel the effect of lack of sleep for up to 3 days after returning to normal sleeping patterns.

In all honesty I could go on for several pages about why sleep is so important, as sleep is my favorite pass time. That said we don’t have pages so I’ll keep it short. Here are some quick facts on sleep and why your body needs it.

1. You can’t “catch up” on sleep. Contrary to popular belief, you can’t catch up on lost sleep. Grabbing a quick nap at 2  in the afternoon isn’t going to make up for those missed hours of deep sleep.
2. Sleep is when your whole body reboots and rebuilds. While you are sleeping, your brain is still running, and it’s during those snooze periods that the brain does some of it’s most crucial work. During sleep hours it is running maintenance checks, flushing out toxins and so much more.
3. Extended bouts of minimal sleep can lead to cognitive issues. Lack of sleep greatly effects your overall concentration level and has been linked to cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
4. Not everyone needs the same amount of sleep. I am a 8-9 hours a night kind of girl, where as other people can function on 5 hours. Is there a right or wrong? Not necessarily. The question comes down to quality of sleep. Are you reaching deep sleep, REM sleep? Do you feel rested when you wake up? Do you sleep uninterrupted?

Sleep is not an exact science but it is something that should come first and foremost next to water in your health plan. In order to work your body, it needs to be able to rest so that it can grow stronger.  Your body is a machine, but even machines need down time.

Muscles are worked in the gym, fueled in the kitchen and built while you sleep. Contemplate that.