Arianna Huffington calls for a Sleep Revolution
Did you get enough sleep last night? If the answer is no, you're part of the majority of Canadians who go through most days feeling like they could use a nap.
Arianna Huffington's new book, The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life One Night at a Time, aims to wake us up to the harsh realities of sleep deprivation.
I learned the hard way when, nine years ago, I collapsed from sleep deprivation and burnout, hit my head on the way down and broke my cheekbone. And as I came to in a pool of blood, I had to re-evaluate my life.- Arianna Huffington on when she realized the dangers of sleep deprivation
It became clear to Huffington that we as a society were equating long days and short nights with success. She now sees sleep deprivation as the new smoking — something we saw as harmless in the past, only to realize its seriousness later.
But Huffington says that we are currently seeing a cultural shift when it comes to sleep. She says companies, like her own, which provide nap rooms and ones like Aetna compensating their employees for a good night's sleep, mean that people are starting to see the far-reaching effects of adequate sleep.
"[Sleep] improves our productivity and it reduces our healthcare costs," she says.
And if you're reading this and feeling the familiar sensation of heavy eyelids, Huffington says take a nap as soon as you can.
Naps are the only way to reset your day if, for whatever reason, you haven't gotten a good night's sleep.- Arianna Huffington
Are you in need of a sleep revolution?
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This segment was produced by The Current's Ines Colabrese.