Sleep is great. It is something that we get to do every day, it is cheap, and it is easy. You don’t have to train to become a good sleeper; it just comes naturally. When we are little, we constantly fight our mothers when they tell us to take our naps, but when we enter adulthood – and beyond – we learn to appreciate our mother’s wisdom. Some people have learned to sleep with their eyes wide open. Usually this is something that you learn in school, and it fools the teacher every time. We always find it annoying when the teacher calls upon us to answer the question. Doesn’t he understand that he’s disrupting a good sleep? Sleep is an essential part of our well being. Without it, we would certainly go insane. It is wise to get between six and eight hours of shut-eye each day and, as many prominent figures in history have written, a few naps during the day are wonderful.
Sleep is also a great time saver. If we were to try to work around the clock in an effort to make more money, for example, we would find that our work production would suffer and the government will get all the extra money we earned (in taxes) anyway. In addition, when we finally do get to sleep after a marathon work session, we will need to sleep extra long to make up for the sleep deprivation. In short, the system doesn’t work. It is better to forego the extra work time and to sleep when it time to sleep and to work during regular work hours. So, how does sleep save time? It does so by increasing productivity.
When we go to our work place fully rested from a good night’s sleep our mind and body are at their best. If we use our brains to figure things out or to create, a rested brain works most efficiently. Conversely, try to imagine creating or thinking when your brain is telling you that it wants to nap. It is like trying to drive a car when the gas tank is empty. It just can’t work at its best. Therefore, instead of battling a yawning, nodding body while you are requiring your brain to think, it is better to take the time to sleep and to approach the task when you are fresh. Your body and brain work better and they produce better work in a shorter amount of time. Shorter time, better work. That saves time and energy.