Sleep is essential to good health. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or the best pro basketball player in the country or just athletic, you need to clock a solid, uninterrupted eight hours in order to stay healthy. While the adverse effects of too-little sleep are well-documented and dramatically amplified for professional athletes (after all, they rely on their bodies to make a living for them), sleep is important for you, too. Sticking to a good, regular sleep routine is one of the best things you can do to improve your sleep performance and improve your overall health. Don’t assume that your sleep doesn’t matter as much just because you aren’t what one of the pros. Instead, prioritize your sleep like you would your job, and you’ll reap the benefits almost immediately.