The other day I woke up and found that my cellphone was only 1/4 of the way charged. Somehow, my charger didn't connect properly the night before. So now, the game was afoot. I had to figure out how to give it enough time on the charger without interrupting what I wanted to accomplish that day. First, I plugged it in while I showered and got ready. I then made sure I plugged it into the car as I drove the 5 minutes to my destination. After that, the majority of my day was dictated by the distance between my charger and the wall socket. Can you relate to my "first world" issue?
Sadly, many people have experienced this same dilemma. When our phone doesn't get charge it needs, we instantly recognize the impact it'll have on our day. So, why is it that so many people don't recognize the same impact that poor sleep has on them? I can't tell you how many people I know that are trying to live on five hours or less of sleep each night. They're trying to make time for everything they "need" to do by reducing the amount of time they allow their bodies to "charge."
Study after study has been published that shows that a healthy person should get an average of eight hours of sleep each night. However, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that a third of Americans sleep fewer than seven hours a night. According to World Sleep Day statistics, sleep deprivation is threatening the health of up to 45% of the global population. Science has linked poor sleep habits to many concerning health issues such as high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, weight gain, depression, diabetes, stroke, dementia and even some cancers. And yet, so many people are still choosing the short term gains of sacrificing sleep over the long term benefits of recharging their body the way God designed it to be charged. If you are someone who fits this description, I invite you to thoughtfully consider the benefits of a fully charged life. Surly, you deserve at least as much consideration as your smart phone.
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