Are We Becoming a Nation of Zombies?

Getting a restful night of sleep is absolutely critical for both your physical and mental well-being. Here are just a few benefits you can get when you have your full 7 hours of sleep:

• Stress reduction: If your body isn’t getting enough sleep, it reacts by producing an elevated level of stress hormones.
• Sleep improves your memory: When you are tired, it’s hard to remember little things. Memory loss is your brain telling you it is sleepy. You may be resting while you sleep, but your brain is also cataloging your memories.
• Sleep lowers blood pressure: High blood pressure increases your chance of stroke and heart attacks. Try to get plenty of sleep and your body will be in a state of relaxation that helps reduce blood pressure.
• Sleep produces extra protein molecules that gives your body the ability to fight infections: If you are feeling run down and don’t want to catch a cold or flu, go to bed early and get a good night’s sleep.