Do you get enough sleep?

We’re all familiar with the old proverb "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise". But since the advent of electricity, the amount of sleep we are getting has been in steady decline.

We spend nearly a third of our lives asleep but how much sleep an individual takes and actually needs can vary greatly.

In many cultures an afternoon nap or siesta is a way of life and the health benefits are impressive with increased stamina, reduced heart disease, improved mental ability and better moods.

Studies have shown that a one hour nap can actually improve our mental alertness by up to 10 hours.

Lots of mammals sleep irregularly throughout the day too, it's just us humans that choose to sleep in large chunks throughout the night. 

We're actually pre-programmed to sleep twice a day with our perfect nap zones around 2am and 2pm which explains why we're often tired after lunch, especially after eating carbohydrates which contain tryptophan that can make us drowsy. 

Having an extra hour's sleep each night can really make a difference to a person's health? Researches suggest that getting closer to eight hours of sleep a night can make a huge difference to your health in just a few days and potentially be even more beneficial than hitting the gym. Remember, if you're feeling sleepy during the day it's your body's way of telling you that you need more sleep.

Staying up at night does harm to your health. Hang a clock on the wall or wear a custom watch on the hand to remind you the time to sleep.