Most nurses work long shifts or even double shifts, which can easily lead to sleep deprivation
Long term effects of sleep deprivation can leave you with low quality of life, poor patient care and negative health effects.
At TotalMed, we take care of our travel nurses, and we want to make sure you not only succeed in your career, but also succeed in leading a healthy life. We have come up with a quick list of 5 reasons you should focus on getting enough sleep. Quality sleep impacts your quality of life.
Sleep keeps you sharp
Have you ever been on a long shift with little sleep? Do you notice yourself zoning out in the breakroom? You may feel scatterbrained or even have a tough time in recalling your day.
There is a reason to why your body is reacting that way. Sleep gives your brain an opportunity to rest, process information and reorganize itself. Sleep keeps your brain healthy and organized. When you have enough sleep, you will perform at your peak efficiency. Lack of sleep does just the opposite and can make you feel sluggish.
Sleeping well is especially important for nurses because they need to be sharp so they can help their patients and avoid detrimental mistakes.
Sleep bolsters your immune system
It has been proven that lack of sleep can destroy your body’s ability to fight off infectious diseases, common colds and other viruses.
When you deprive your body of sleep for a long time, it lowers your levels of T-cells, which is one of the primary lymphocytes used to fight viral and bacterial infections. As a nurse working in an environment where there is constant exposure to infectious diseases, you are at an even higher risk of getting sick. Sleeping can help you stay healthy and fight disease.
Sleep keeps your heart strong
Your heart is one of the hardest working muscles in your body. When you sleep, your blood pressure dips significantly, which reduces the stress on your heart your blood vessels and reduces inflammation. During sleep, your body can repair and rebuild blood vessels to keep your heart healthy and strong.
The moral of the story is that sleep plays a significant role in keeping you healthy, happy and fresh. Getting high quality sleep will make a difference in your daily life as a nurse. When your body is at its best, you will be able to provide your patients with the best quality care.
