**sleep – a consistent seven- to nine-hour opportunity each night – is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health** Sleep is just as, perhaps more important than diet and exercise. Sleep shows up on most of my [[Index Cards of Advice]] for this very reason. [[Protect Sleep]] - have good [[Sleep Hygiene]] and make sure you consistently meet the recommended [[Sleep Duration]]. # Lack of Sufficient Sleep Lack of sufficient sleep... - Is one of the leading environmental factors for developing Alzheimer’s Disease - Makes it harder to remember things even in the more near-term - Makes you more prone to illness and infection - Makes you more moody and retards the ability to control impulses - Causes the hormone that controlled your hunger to go haywire, causing you to overeat - causes Aerobic and anaerobic capacities are both diminished by measurable margins - Athletes that sleep 9 hours a night are injured half as often as those who sleep 5-6. - Increases likelihood of developing cancer, heart disease, and diabetes - Daylight savings days see swings of 20+% above and below baseline rates of heart attacks. > [!tldr] Put simply: > Sleep – a consistent seven- to nine-hour opportunity each night – is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day. > _Matthew Walker, Author of “Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams”_ **** # More ## Source - [[The Organized Mind]] - [The Best Thing You Can Do for Your Health: Sleep Well - The Guardian - Pocket](https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-best-thing-you-can-do-for-your-health-sleep-well) - [[Why We Sleep]] ## Related - [[Protect Sleep]] - [[Guidelines for Good Sleep]] - [[Sleep Duration]] - [[Exercise, Sleep, and Diet are 85% of Mental Health]]