How much does poor sleep cost you?

Sleep – Just as Important as Diet and Exercise

According to Dr. Sandhya Kumar, a professor of neurology at Wake Forest University in the United States, most people consistently underestimate the importance of good sleep for their health and well-being. While health-conscious people happily spend a good portion of their salary on pricy organic foods and expensive gym memberships, they don’t pay the same level of attention to the materials they sleep in. Nevertheless, good quality sleep is just as important as a healthy diet and exercise.

Sleep surveys from several Western nations suggest that rates of inadequate sleep are increasing, with between 20 and 30 percent of respondents complaining of inadequate sleep on a regular basis. For example, recent surveys show that between 33 and 45 percent of Australian adults feel they are sleep-deprived, compared with 37 and 35 percent of British and American adults, respectively.

According to scientists, developed nations are in the midst of a worldwide epidemic of inadequate sleep. They explain that a range of factors are contributing to this phenomenon, from clinical sleep disorders, competing pressures from work and family and the failure to prioritize sufficient sleep.

Poor-Quality Sleep Can Also Affect Your Professional Life

Sleep is an active process that is essential for recuperation, memory consolidation, emotional modulation, performance, and learning. Sleep loss affects mood, safety and productivity.

While scientists have long been certain that inadequate sleep is bad for your health, economists are increasingly finding that it’s bad for your bottom line.

Researchers in Australia attempted to measure the economic consequences of limited sleep in the country during 2016-2017. The result was an estimated overall cost of $45.21 billion for a population of 24.8 million. The financial cost component came to $17.88 billion, consisting of direct health effects, productivity losses and nonmedical accident costs.

Improve the quality of your sleep

Though the findings seem bleak, they also hint at solutions. A combination of addressing the issue by awareness, governmental regulation and other initiatives is likely to deliver substantial economic as well as health benefits.

The study indicated that more physical activity is linked to better sleep, as is not smoking. And though the study lacked sufficient information on the effect of electronic devices on sleep, their reduced use at night is believed to improve both the duration and quality of sleep.

Fabrics for sleepwear and bedding also play a major role in our sleep quality. In fact, overheating is the most frequent cause of sleep disturbances. To get a good night’s rest, you should always sleep in natural and breathable fibers.

To help you sleep well, at Zizzz we use 100% organic cotton and breathable wool from sheep raised in the Swiss Alps. Wool breathes and wicks moisture away, which helps regulate your body temperature and is crucial for comfortable sleep. The result is better, deeper and more relaxed sleep.