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Getting the proper amount of sleep each night is one of life’s biggest game changers. Seriously, if I had two pieces of health advice for someone whose life was in tatters it would be Drink More Water and Get More Sleep. With these two changes the world opens up in ways we didn’t realize were possible when we were stressed out and unhealthy from a lack of sleep.
Author and certified Sleep Expert Matthew Walke sat down with Tech Insider to discuss what happens to the brain and body when they aren’t getting enough sleep. If this isn’t enough to scare you into getting more sleep then I don’t know what is:
Some highlights? Lack of sleep prevents your brain from being able to create new memories. This means that pulling all-nighters (see my story below) is pointless. Lack of sleep also causes a reduced production of testosterone in men which ages them up to 10 years. A lack of sleep can also wreak havoc on the immune system. And these are just a few examples of the shitty ways that a lack of sleep can destroy your body and brain.
In college, I had a bit of a problem when it came to pulling all-nighters. After my first round of all-night study sessions during Finals Week, I came to the realization that Schmadderall + Coffee was enough to keep me alert and studying for as long as I needed. But then I discovered online poker, and holy shit did the wheels come off. I’d be playing 5-10 tables at a time while studying for two exams.
Before long, the studying all-nighters just became an excuse to stay up for 36 hours and play poker. My nights would inevitably go something like this: I’d start by winning a decent amount at either Cash tables or Sit-and-Go tourneys and then I’d give it all back throughout the night with large $$$ buy-ins to tournaments where I was getting torched by sharks. Then the sun would come up and I’d realize I didn’t even remember which test I was studying for….These were not ideal study habits.