What if you lived in the mountains, drank lots of fresh, clean well water, hiked five miles a day, ate a great well-rounded diet, and took the world's best dietary supplements, but you only got 4 hours of sleep a day?

No doubt, we now live fast-paced lives. We work more than ever, and our leisure time is virtually nonexistent. Responsibilities have a tight grip on us at the expense of skimming stones with our children, curling up to a good book, or eating family meals together. We strive for balance in our lives, so we stretch to make time for "everything". Unfortunately, the casualty is often rest.

This "burning the candle at both ends" works for a while, and because it doesn't appear to be doing any harm, it becomes a way of life. Can you relate?

What's really happening, however, is that we are preventing our bodies from renewing themselves, and over time problems begin to pop up here and there. We become prone to illness and accelerate the aging process, no longer looking younger than our age, even if others compliment us that we do. Is it worth it?

Here are some practical tips for getting balance in the area of rest:

• Get 7 or 8 hours of sleep at least four nights a week. Every day would be even better. Sleep restores and invigorates the body, while preparing it for the following day's activities.