Over the last few weeks, on days when I go in to work, I’ve stopped doing my morning routine.

This means that I’m doing less of the things that make me feel good. Running, yoga, meditation and working out. Instead, I’m prioritizing sleep.

I’m currently reading “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker. And it’s been blowing my mind. We all know that sleep is important, but I’d never realized how important.

Lack of sleep destroys your immune system and increases your risk of cancer. It weakens your arteries and causes heart disease. Neurological disorders such as depression, anxiety and Alzheimer’s are all a result of poor sleep. It causes diabetes by messing with blood sugar levels, and weight gain through a variety of methods.

I could go on.

The problem is that few of us have the time to do it all. Between work, family obligations and all that life throws at us, we don’t have a lot of time. We’re told to exercise more, get our steps in, and have a healthy social life. And we’re expected to balance all of this while getting a full sleep each night.

We can’t do it all. We need to sacrifice something. And sleep is often the lamb.

But, as it turns out, sacrificing sleep doesn’t just make you tired. It’s literally killing you.