Getting enough good sleep helps to improve memory and mood, increase productivity, prevent weight gain, strengthen your heart, and can even boost your immune system. Sleeping well also lowers your risk for getting injured – think about how many exhausted drivers cause accidents that could have been easily avoided with adequate rest the night before.

There are countless factors that can cause difficulties falling asleep and sleeping well. People experience pain that keeps them changing positions all night long, or they have stress and anxiety that just don’t allow their mind to “shut off”. There are also many sleep disorders that go untreated, along with health conditions that might make it difficult to breathe through the night, and even some medications with unfortunate side effects keeping users awake. Caffeine is also a widespread culprit, found in coffee, tea, and soda; and the nicotine in tobacco products can make it harder to fall asleep as well. 

When people do not get enough sleep, there are detrimental effects on the brain as well as the body. Sleeplessness, even for just one or two nights, can cause undue stress, anxiety, difficulty concentrating and making decisions, drastic decrease in mood, and increase in irritability. Chronic sleep deprivation, on the other hand, can lead to much more serious symptoms and conditions including obesity, heart attacks, depression, and lower sex drive, and even physical appearance has been shown to suffer from long-term tiredness.