With all this daily activity, your body needs time to recharge.  Getting adequate sleep is crucial to keeping your energy levels up and your body functioning at a peak level.  Although the exact amount varies from one person to the next, adults should get at least seven hours of sleep a night.  That does not mean you should go to bed at 11:30 p.m. and get up at 6:30 a.m.  — it means seven hours of actual sleep. Some people may take 20 minutes or more to fall asleep.

Here are some of the negative physical and mental effects of inadequate sleep:
* Impairs our ability to think, handle stress, and maintain a healthy immune system.
* Ability to concentrate on a task diminishes and our memory becomes compromised.
* Decision-making abilities are reduced, as is the ability to use our problem-solving skills.
* People become irritable and short-tempered, both with themselves and with others.
* Stress and anxiety are leading causes of insomnia. This can lead to severe anxiety disorders and depression … the very things that can keep you from getting adequate sleep in the first place.
* Muscle strength and endurance decrease, tiring you out quicker.
* Glucose metabolism is lowered, which means your food is not turned into energy as quickly, making you more tired.

As you can see, all the great benefits of eating well and exercising regularly are erased if you do not get adequate sleep.  Not only that, but you can become unhealthy very quickly if you are chronically not getting enough sleep.

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