Bed Time

There I was ignoring my own advice. Not the first time it has happened, and I know it most likely will not be the last. What was it this time? Being out until 2 am this past Saturday night. Technically, I was not “out”. I was spending time at a friend’s house talking, laughing, and a bit of impromptu karaoke with a group of people I had not spent time with in a while. Yes, I know…semantics. To be completely transparent, I combined staying up later than usual with a few pours of Bourbon, which definitely compounded the side effects.

I am usually in bed a lot earlier. My body does not function as well without adequate sleep. At times it feels as though 6 hours can suffice, while there are days when the suggested 7 to 9 hours of sleep is not enough.

You may be curious as to what happens or could happen when I do not get sufficient sleep. I will gladly give you an example. On my social media post yesterday (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram), instead of “Your future depends on what you do today”, I inadvertently wrote “You’re future depends on what you do today”. Damn.

And no, I will not take down, nor edit the post. It will serve as a reminder as to what can happen due to a lack of quality sleep. Yes, the effects of Saturday night lasted through Monday morning.

The days of staying awake until 5 am and then being able to show up physically and mentally for a 8 to 10 hour workday are a distant memory. Going to Vegas and enjoying bottle service until 4 am, getting food, and then to be up by 10 am ready to spend the next 6 hours at a day club (2 or 3 days in a row) are from a vastly different lifetime. I believe the last time I opted for minimal sleep was spending what was supposed to be a “low key” few days with one of my closest friends and his family during last year’s Superbowl weekend.

In addition to the numerous aspects of health and wellness I have written about in previous editions of this newsletter, quality sleep is one that you should definitely be cognizant of, and aim for in order to live an overall healthy lifestyle.

While we sleep, the body performs a number of healing processes that affect our well being. An article from The Sleep Foundation shows the benefits of sleep include:

• Heart Health

• Improved Mood

• Regulated Blood Sugar

• Improved Mental Function

• Restored Immune System

• Stress Relief

• Athletic Performance

• Maintaining Healthy Weight

The same article from the Sleep Foundation shares the following tips for getting better sleep:

• Create a Consistent Sleep Schedule

• Make a Quality Sleep Environment

• Avoid Caffeine, Nicotine, and Alcohol Before Bedtime

• Exercise During the Day

• Avoid Screens Before Bedtime

• Talk to a Doctor About Sleep

For the entire article which has in-depth information on the benefits of sleep as well as the tips for getting better sleep, please click on this link: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/benefits-of-sleep

Please remember, I am not a medical professional, nor is any of this medical advice. I am just out here living A Kidney Life.