Sleep...is it important?

If you have children, you are probably not getting enough sleep. You stay up late to pay the bills, do the laundry, or have adult time with your spouse. Even if you get to bed at a reasonable hour, your sleep is possibly interrupted by a child.

In her book, Different Learners, Jane M. Healy devotes several pages to discuss the importance of sleep. Though her comments are aimed at how lack of sleep affects children, I believe it also applies to adults. Here are some of the facts on sleep:

• The brain is the first casualty when you aren't getting enough sleep.
• Lack of sleep affects learning, memory, mood and attention problems.
• It affects cognitive/emotional functioning.
• Sleep restores mental energy that children use in school & adults need for work
• A well rested student/adult has more brain power
• Adequate sleep sharpens psycho-motor skills & coordination (e.g., athletics, handwriting, driving ability)

As a pianist it is a waste of time if I try to learn new music or practice when I am tired. My body needs to rest, and so does my brain. With proper sleep, my practice time becomes productive.

And on that note, I'm going to bed!