Did you know you could sleep your way to success? Scientific research according to the Division of Sleep Medicine at the Harvard Medical School suggests negative effects of sleep deprivation performance are so high that those under in influence of alcohol perform better than those who are lacking sleep. What does that tell you?

While some may have been taught to believe that spending less time resting will encourage them to be more productive, they could not be more wrong. Getting a good night of sleep promotes success in various ways, both physically and mentally. This plays a major role in how you think, feel, and perform throughout the day. Below you will find five valid reasons on why you should be hitting the snooze button more often.

1. Sleep Enforces Productivity

Not only does being sleep deprived affects your productivity which barricades you from having mental clarity – where everything comes easily to you instead of feeling like you have a fog over your brain. With that being said, when you have recieved a sufficient amount of sleep you feel and think at your optimal best. You will find you are more motivated and able to take on goals and find yourself with more energy to be productive through out the day.

2. Sleep Can Lead to Efficiency

Though some may be able to stay productive through out the day running on little sleep, they may not always be efficient. When you have not accumulated enough hours of sleep you are risking your decision making capabilities, reaction time, and memory being impaired which can make you prone to making more mistakes through out the day whether it is in the work place or personal life.

 3. Sleep Promotes Creativity

For many business professionals and students, creativity is often a crucial part of success. Creative ideas come more naturally when you are not feeling fatigue or drowsiness. This is because when you are sleep deprived it reduces your brain’s ability to think and understand quickly to find solutions to a problem.

4. Sleep Aids Your Immune System

In addition to sleep collaborating with your productivity, efficiency, and creativity, sleep also aids your immune system. Your immune system helps your body fight off illness. When you are not well rested, your body’s immune system is not functioning to its optimal levels. This can make you victim to catching colds, flus, and viruses more easily which require you to take time off from work, school, or day to day life.

5. Sleep Benefits Weight Loss

A study performed by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that those who were robbed of proper sleep were more likely to have unhealthy cravings and consuming bigger food portions which causes weight gain. In addition, this can also mean that even if you are watching your portions, eating healthy, and exercising, have insufficient amount of sleep can off set your body’s natural ability to burn fat through out the night.

So, How Much Sleep Should You Be Getting Each Night?

The National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute recommends adults to sleep seven to eight hours a night for your body to perform at its best mentally and physically. In conclusion, just the five benefits of sleep stated above make it evident that you can sleep your way to success.