Do you ever feel like you’re dragging through the day? Do you wish you had a way to pump up your body’s physical and mental energy reserves? If there was a pill or device that would give you more pep and efficiency wouldn’t you buy it? How about a suggestion that will do this for you for free? Try getting some sleep. Many people skimp on sleep, “to be more productive.” Yet the very loss of sleep causes them to face decreased efficiency in the tasks they want to accomplish.

It is the law of diminishing returns. The more you put into a task when you are tired or fatigued, the less you get out of it in production and efficiency. That is, until you have slept. Skimping on sleep borrows energy from tomorrow that you will need to pay back. Sleep restores your body’s energy and mental reserves. Besides improving your quality of life now through increased production and efficiency, sleep can also help you live longer. People in one study who regularly got seven to eight hours of sleep every day lived longer than those who got less sleep. Other research shows that people who get eight to nine hours of sleep each night are the most productive1. When you are well rested, you are one step closer to optimal health