(Mirror Daily, United States) – Forget everything that coffee, coke, Red Bull commercials and your boss told you; sleep is not overrated. In fact, according to the researchers, a good night’s rest helps you maintain your mental and physical rest. So turn of the electronics, grab a glass of warm milk and a book, and go to bed early.

Scientists have discovered that routine is extremely healthy when it comes to out sleep pattern. They recommend people to consider having a bed time not just for their children, but for them as well. A regular going to sleep hour is what our bodies need in order to stay in shape.

Furthermore, the program shouldn’t be applied only on workdays. So the sleep-in weekends when we feel like we need to throw away the alarm clock and stay in bed until noon are actually harmful to our body’s circadian rhythm.

Let’s say that an average person has to wake up at 6 AM every morning. If we take into account the fact that an average sleep period is seven to eight and a half hours, then it means that the individual must go to bed somewhere around 10 PM. The first few weeks will be hard until the body adjusts to the changes, but then it will be like the alarm clock is just a fancy, ticking decorating piece.

The routine that the individual incorporates in his schedule will help the REM and NREM sleep cycles harmoniously bind together. So the circadian low (when the body is in deep sleep, and it regenerates) will always take place at the same hour, entirely tuning the body and its organs for another refreshing day.

Sleep is not overrated, if anything it is underrated. Some people think that a strong coffee or a can of energy drink can replace the much-needed Zzzs, and they could squeeze in some more work or fun during the night.

But the researchers disagree. It seems that sustained wakefulness is actually the enemy of performance. According to them, a sleep deprived person is as impaired as a person with an over-the-limit BAC (level of alcohol in the blood). So any significant results that you were expecting while cutting out on the sleep hours will turn out to be the equivalent of drunken scribbles.

Doctors are recommending the people to stay away from electronic devices before bed. Also, while sleep is not overrated, carbohydrates are. So that bag of chips is not a good before-bed snack idea. Instead, people are recommended to drink a glass of milk or munch on a few crackers.

Sleep is not overrated, and you should always keep that in mind, especially now, since daylight savings time is upon us.

Image source: vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net