Sleep Is Not a Luxury

At least a quarter of South Africans are functioning on half throttle [at half their potential] due to sleep deprivation or disorders,” states the South African newspaper The Natal Witness. According to Dr. James Maas, a sleep researcher, sleep enables the brain to replenish vital neurotransmitters, so adequate sleep is essential for good memory, creativity, problem solving, and learning capabilities. The effects of insufficient sleep include depression, irritability, anxiety, decreased sense of humor and social skills, decreased ability to concentrate and remember, reduced communication and decision skills, increased risk taking, and reduced productivity and quality of life. People who sleep five hours or less also reduce their resistance to viruses. “For peak performance,” says Maas, “we must invest one-third of our life in sleep which averages out to eight hours per night.”