The Benefits of a Full 8 Hours of Sleep

Before you substitute your beauty sleep for an extra cup of coffee . . . think again. There are more reasons than not to squeeze in a full eight hours of sleep. If you’re part of the 30 percent of sleep-deprived US workers who get fewer than seven hours of sleep a night or have been running yourself ragged lately — it’s time to rest up! Here are five reasons to hit the hay early tonight:

Maintain a healthy weight: Use sleep to conquer the battle of the bulge! Studies show that one tends to crave junk food over healthy fare when tired. A tired mind is also more likely to struggle with prudent eating choices — so choosing the blueberries over the blueberry muffin may be more difficult. Simply catching up on sleep will give you that extra push when it comes to weight loss and save you a few extra calories!

Increase your productivity: Sharpen up with sleep. When you’re well rested, you’re more focused, making your overall workday more productive. Even when you’re sleeping, the brain sorts and processes the information you absorbed while awake — making a full night’s sleep a no-brainer!

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