Since I finished high school, when I sacrificed many hours of sleep, I promised myself: I won't sacrifice my sleeping routine for no one. Little did I know…

When I finished school and got into university, my parents decided that it was time I got a real job. They tried to make work in their business. Still, unfortunately, I saw myself grabbing beers with my friends and not becoming a professional. So, I got a real job. It was a secretary position. So far, so good… or not?

The job position was perfect for me.

Not a lot of responsibilities, not a lot of stress but… here is the big but. I had to work from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. That practically meant that I had to get up at 5.30 a.m. since the office was about 40 minutes away. At first, it came as a shock to me, but I told myself, "come on, you can do it." The first days were a nightmare. I had to use public transportation since I didn't have a driving license (I managed, though, to get it 2 months later); during winter, where the temperatures were close to 0 oC, I had to wait for a bus that never was on time. I was sleeping awake ; I could barely move my feet to the office, and I had to try really hard not to sleep in front of the computer screen.

However, day by day, things were getting better.

I managed to wake up more quickly, and I didn't have to make an extra effort not to fall asleep at work.

Nevertheless, I was 18 years old. My friends lived the "college life" : courses, drinks, coffees, hanging out doing nothing, and I was already in labor life without being able to follow. Then, I decided that I couldn't make it all. The result? I ended up sleeping around 2-3 a day, and the next day I was just surviving. This kept on going for 2 years. My performance at work was adequate but not as they expected to. I neglected my studies a lot because I didn't have the energy to study, nonetheless, go to courses. Then, I realized that something had to change immediately, or, else, I wouldn't make it at all.

I started to prioritize my days and schedule my hours of sleep. I made time to sleep for at least 7-8 hours per day. Of course, there would be days that I couldn't manage to sleep well, but I tried not to let my try be wasted.

After a while, I indeed see a lot of difference in my everyday life and performance.

What I realized was that taking a good sleep is very important both for our physical and mental health :

1. A good sleep can improve productivity and concentration

Sleep is vital for brain function. When you get enough hours of sleep, your brain relaxes too, and, consequently, your performance levels and productivity increase.

2. Good sleep can maximize athletic performance.

I compared myself to working out after little hours of sleep and after a regular sleeping schedule. The results were unbelievable. I could not believe how much more I could perform in my workout routine and how much more vivid and stress-relieved I felt.

3. Sleep affects emotions and psychology.

We have all been in a position without having slept enough and had to go to work like this. Well, personally, when I felt drained, I couldn't manage to interact socially with my co-workers or partners and, I couldn't definitely concentrate without the will to cry in front of my laptop. Deprivation of sleep causes stress, negative emotions as well as increased amounts of irritation.

4. Lack of sleep leads to overconsumption.

When we don't get enough sleep, we tend to eat increased portions and more unhealthy meals. Our body needs more energy. We usually search for this energy from unhealthy sources such as sweets, crackers, and similar food that instantly feel saturation. This, however, is just a temporary placebo, and we simply fill our bodies with unnecessary calories.

5. Sleep helps our immune system stay strong.

The less we sleep, the harder it is to fight common infections due to the fact that the body is not in a position to fight for the "attackers." You won't believe how much healthier you will feel after a good night's sleep!

All in all, we all have a lot going on in our lives every day. The most important thing, though, is to be able to take care of ourselves first, because to be honest, nobody will do that for us. A night of good sleep is free, easy to achieve, and offers so many benefits to our mental and physical health. Shouldn't we try it?

References: https://www.tylenol.com/symptoms/sleeplessness/importance-of-sleep

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-why-good-sleep-is-important