Lights Out! Your Health Depends On It

1. Lack of sleep impairs reaction time, judgment, vision, short-term memory, performance, motivation, vigilance, and patience? Take a 20 minute power nap if you have a difficult time sleeping a full 7-8 hours.

2. Sleep is an important resource that keeps you healthy, mentally sharp, and helps to more effectively cope with stress. Don’t underestimate the value of a power nap which can increase your productivity and give you a valuable dose of sleep when you need it.

3. Our body conserves physical and mental energy while we sleep. Getting the quality sleep we need will positively affect our immune system, our tissue growth and repair, as well as our ability to effectively manage stress.

4. If you suffer from insomnia, eat foods rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which helps the body to produce melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep. Include milk, honey, turkey, egg whites and tuna in your diet every day.

5. Diet plays an important role in getting a good nights sleep. Carbohydrate foods like beans and pulses, whole wheat pasta, grain bread, bananas, apple, mango or pineapple, encourage the production of the feel-good chemical serotonin, which helps induce sleep.