Sleep: The Third Pillar of Health

The importance of proper nutrition and consistent exercise has been known for years. Ads on TV and in newspapers go on and on about the importance of healthy food intake and regular exercise. Many people do everything right when it comes to this lifestyle. Many companies have implemented employee Wellness Programs focused on nutrition and exercise. Nevertheless, individuals may be missing out on an important element of overall health and well-being; their sleep.A growing body of evidence has demonstrated that sleep is just as important as diet and exercise is to maintaining a healthy mind and body, for both adults and children. Without good quantity or quality of sleep, you can’t get the full benefit of all the hours put in at the gym or all the nutritious food you eat.

The benefits of getting consistent, quality sleep are indisputable:

Wake up refreshed
Have more energy
Maintain a healthy weight
Improve your work performance
Prevent chronic illness
Reduce your risk for accidents

“Sleep disorders affect nearly 44 million Americans, with an additional 35 million reporting occasional problems. It is a health problem of epidemic proportions, which has only recently been recognized. Sleep disorders lead to fragmented sleep and poor sleep quality that can increase people’s risk for High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke,” says Jeffrey S. Durmer, MD, PhD, Diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and Chief Medical Officer of FusionHealth®.

The most common signs of poor sleep quality are waking up unrefreshed, experiencing morning headaches, and feeling daytime sleepiness. Loud snoring, waking up gasping for air and periods of no breathing (apnea) are the most common signs of Sleep Apnea, a common and treatable sleep disorder.

It’s time to wake up to the importance of sleep. It is just as important as diet and exercise are to your health and the healthy of your family. By putting sleep on par with diet and exercise you set yourself up for success and greater health and well-being.