Close to 50 million people live with Alzheimer’s disease or some type of dementia. Some predict this stat to triple over the next 30 years.

In a recent study examining sleep deficiency and disturbances, it was found that those who reported less than 5 hours of sleep per night were at double the risk for developing dementia.

This can be a vicious cycle, because when you’re lacking sleep it tends to create more stress, oxidation, and fogginess.

If there’s one area you have time to prioritize when it comes to improving health and fitness, I’d suggest putting your energy towards maximizing sleep.

Not only will sleep help to improve cognitive function, but it helps support the following:

Muscle building, fat burning, improved immune response, decreased risk for heart disease, decreased risk for diabetes, improved energy, and a ton of other positive benefits.

With all of the mounting research that supports sleep and our health, I think it’s in everyone’s best interest to start thinking of ways you can add in more sleep.

It doesn’t have to be a huge or drastic change…Even looking to add an extra 15-30 minutes a night could have a profound effect.

And it’s not like I’m asking you to run a marathon.

Start prioritizing sleep, you will not regret it.

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