My Mom was up at four and could not go back to sleep. Her cell phone had not been connected to the charger. It was blacked out and unresponsive.
It occurred to me that I am sometimes like that uncharged phone. Often, I abuse my body and don't give my brain the time it needs to reset through proper rest or a regular sleep pattern. My ability to function efficiently is reduced noticeably.
Lack of sleep affects memory, according to Alice G. Walton, Ph.D., in Forbes Magazine. She also discovered in her research that our cognitive thinking and the ability to create or think out of the box are impaired.
Depression is more prevalent in people with five or fewer hours of sleep or more than eight hours over a span of days.
Longevity and good health can be compromised when we continue to ignore our need for essential recharging time. Our body does not have the time it needs to detox our organs, so we end up dealing with the effects of inflammation and weight gain, which causes our body to accumulate extra pounds.
In children and teens, improper brain development is a permanent issue, and studies have also shown that lack of proper sleep affects grades.
As I consider my Mom's dead phone and the verse we read at lunch yesterday, "He restores my soul." Psalm 23:3 (NASB), I marvel at the intricate design God lovingly configured into us during our creation.
The Creator designed the human body and its brain as His masterpiece of genius, which still boggles scientists and doctors. So much is still unknown about our control center.
Balance and care are my stewardship of this gift. I am reminded to consider self-care more readily, and I will try not to wait until I have spent all my strength ignoring this principle.
So, remember to sleep well, be refreshed and reboot.
Enjoy Goodnight My Angel, a young and old lullaby sung by Billy Joel.
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