You’ve heard it all before: lack of sleep can wreak havoc on your cognitive abilities, mood, and overall well being. And if you’re sleeping less than seven hours per night, you’re probably not getting the rest you need.

Your sleep patterns, mood, and overall mental health are very closely related. If you’re not getting enough of the former, the result will be moodiness and irritability. You’ll be more stressed and more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression too. The fact is very few adults today are getting enough rest. Most treat sleep a luxury, not a requirement.

Statistics show that lack of sleep plays a huge role in many mental disorders. As patients learn to get more rest, their moods often begin to stabilize, and whatever medication they’re on to treat their condition can be reduced.

Again, sleep is a necessity, not a luxury. Everyone should get at a bare minimum seven hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. If you’re struggling to get yours, that is something you should address now. Look into how to improve your sleep patterns at the first chance you get.

Sleep helps the brain retain what it has learned throughout the day. It helps you to process what you’ve experienced so that you’re able to relax and properly focus on your next task at hand.

Various phases of sleep each have their specific benefits to memory. Sleep deprivation will strip you of this, and you’ll likely find yourself struggling to remember even the simplest things throughout your day. You may also experience issues focusing and concentrating.

Lack of sleep also slows your reaction time. For this reason, those who drive for a living must have specific amounts of time on and off the road. If they’re not getting their sleep, it’s not safe for them to be driving.

Another indication you may not be getting proper rest is if you wake up all out of sorts and groggy in the morning. An hour more or so of sleep may be all you need and will go a long way in helping you to function and feel better.

Sleep is a must have for everyone. There’s no way around it. Don’t neglect your sleep patterns and focus on improving them if you’re not getting enough rest. You will find you feel much better. Doing so will also have big benefits for your mental health in the long run.