Get Some More Rest!!!!

Get Some More Rest

I know this is a blog on Music and life, but occasionally I write about things that affect the music and so I wondered about regaining lost sleep. As a musician I don’t usually go to sleep at a “reasonable” hour. It’s usually pretty late. This is not good. In fact I wrote a response to an article I saw on Time Magazine called It’s Time To Pay Attention To Sleep – The New Health Frontier. My blog called Get Some Rest, really highlighted the health benefits of sleep and how it can really prolong your life if you can get enough of it.

The question that I had today really hits home to me. If you have lost some sleep in the last few years, months, weeks and days the question remains – Can You Catch Up On Lost Sleep? As a musician can you regain the time from Sleep Debt, which is the difference between the amount of sleep you should be getting and the amount of you actually get.  Sleep Debt grows each time you shave those minutes off the time you actually get to sleep to accomplish some task or other.

Here’s what the article from the Scientific American also found: Studies show that such short-term sleep deprivation leads to a foggy brain, worsened vision, impaired driving, and trouble remembering. Long-term effects include obesity, insulin resistance, and heart disease. And most Americans suffer from chronic deprivation.” YIKES! This is why it is so important to get that sleep in every night.

So the question remains. Can you catch up on lost sleep? The simple answer is YES! You can regain that sleep. But you can’t do it overnight (See What I did there). Here is the direct quote from the Scientific American: The good news is that, like all debt, with some work, sleep debt can be repaid—though it won’t happen in one extended snooze marathon. Tacking on an extra hour or two of sleep a night is the way to catch up. For the chronically sleep deprived, take it easy for a few months to get back into a natural sleep pattern, says Lawrence J. Epstein, medical director of the Harvard-affiliated Sleep Health Centers.”

I’m glad that I found this article. I know I need more sleep. It is just as important as nutrition, exercise, fresh air, faith, sunshine, and self control. Some may say it is even more important, but everything has to be in balance. That’s why I’m glad I’m going to get my 8 hours of sleep tonight. I will wake up in the morning, refreshed and ready to Play It By Ear!

4 thoughts on “Get Some More Rest!!!!”

  1. Excellent Article man, I’m especially shocked by the Insulin resistance effect of Sleep Deprivation. I’m on a journey oto be more healthy and more balanced I need to seriously change my sleeping habits. Thanks for the post! Now get some sleep….

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