--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If sleep does not provide a remarkable…" description: "\"If sleep does not provide a remarkable set of benefits, then it's the biggest mistake the evolutionary process has ever made.\" — Matthew Walker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/matthew-walker-9547_biggest-mistake_if-sleep-does-not-provide-a-remarkable-s_442780.jpg" --- # If sleep does not provide a remarkable set of benefits… ![“If sleep does not provide a remarkable set of benefits, then it's the biggest mistake the evolutionary process has ever made.” quote by Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/matthew-walker-9547_biggest-mistake_if-sleep-does-not-provide-a-remarkable-s_442780.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/matthew-walker-9547_biggest-mistake_if-sleep-does-not-provide-a-remarkable-s_442780.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/matthew-walker-9547_biggest-mistake_if-sleep-does-not-provide-a-remarkable-s_442780.jpg) > “If sleep does not provide a remarkable set of benefits, then it's the biggest mistake the evolutionary process has ever made.” [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sleep is essential; without its benefits, evolution has failed us. **In simple terms:** Sleep is vital; lack harms us. Key Takeaway Prioritize quality sleep. Themes health evolution sleep wellbeing Mood reflective concerned Type advice scientific When to use this quote - night shift workers - students - athletes - busy professionals - elderly Key Concepts Neuroscience chronobiology physiology Questions to Reflect On - How does sleep affect your daily performance? - What habits improve sleep quality? A Different Perspective Sleep alone cannot fix all health issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biggest mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biggest-mistake/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) ## Related quotes > [From the day I got out, it was an evolutionary process. I was sick for, like, two years - that's the best way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-wright-jr/from-the-day-i-got-out-it-was-an-evolutionary-process-i-was-sick-for/) [Isaac Wright Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-wright-jr/) > [Innovation is an evolutionary process, so it's not necessary to be radical all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-jacobs/innovation-is-an-evolutionary-process-so-it-s-not-necessary-to-be/) [Marc Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-jacobs/) > [I am a believer in the evolutionary process, and yet I have sympathy for the friends of mine who are creationists. I don't find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/i-am-a-believer-in-the-evolutionary-process-and-yet-i-have-sympathy/) [John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/) > [“It does appear that some parts of our evolutionary process seem inevitable. It is striking that throughout evolutionary history, the eye evolved independently fifty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-du-sautoy/it-does-appear-that-some-parts-of-our-evolutionary-process-seem/) [Marcus du Sautoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-du-sautoy/) > [“Enlightenment (or not) is an evolutionary process”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-robinson/enlightenment-or-not-is-an-evolutionary-process/) Dana Robinson > [Technology is the means by which we have decommissioned natural selection and are seizing control. We are no longer to be victims of some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/technology-is-the-means-by-which-we-have-decommissioned-natural/) [Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/) > [As you live you evolve and grow and discover, and I don't like to look at anything as an arrival. I always like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/as-you-live-you-evolve-and-grow-and-discover-and-i-don-t-like-to-look/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [It's amazing what sleep does for your looks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-procter/it-s-amazing-what-sleep-does-for-your-looks/) [Emily Procter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-procter/) > [Solitude bears the same relation to the mind that sleep does to the body. It affords it the necessary opportunities for repose and recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gilmore-simms/solitude-bears-the-same-relation-to-the-mind-that-sleep-does-to-the/) [William Gilmore Simms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gilmore-simms/) > [Dawn comes before sleep does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/dawn-comes-before-sleep-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Sleep does make us all equal, it seems to me, like his big brother-Death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schnitzler/sleep-does-make-us-all-equal-it-seems-to-me-like-his-big-brother-death/) [Arthur Schnitzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schnitzler/) > [“In whatever disease sleep is laborious, it is a deadly symptom; but if sleep does good, it is not deadly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/in-whatever-disease-sleep-is-laborious-it-is-a-deadly-symptom-but-if/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [Depending on how 'Doctor Sleep' does, we'll see what movie opportunities there will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/depending-on-how-doctor-sleep-does-we-ll-see-what-movie-opportunities/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [“Modern science shows that some of the mentally incompetent people would become more incompetent if you deprive them of sleep. How does it affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-zubry/modern-science-shows-that-some-of-the-mentally-incompetent-people/) [Boris Zubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-zubry/) > [I sleep at night; I do not think about anything. I put everything in my bag and go to sleep. Whatever you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-al-fayed/i-sleep-at-night-i-do-not-think-about-anything-i-put-everything-in-my/) [Mohamed Al-Fayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-al-fayed/) ## More by Matthew Walker > [“Routinely sleeping less than six or seven hours a night demolishes your immune system, more than doubling your risk of cancer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/routinely-sleeping-less-than-six-or-seven-hours-a-night-demolishes/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [You're trying to sleep off a debt that you've lumbered your brain and body with during the week, and wouldn't it be lovely if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/you-re-trying-to-sleep-off-a-debt-that-you-ve-lumbered-your-brain-and/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [“The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep.”VII”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/the-best-bridge-between-despair-and-hope-is-a-good-night-s-sleep-vii/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [I think we perhaps are, with sleep, where we were with smoking about 50 years ago, in that we had all of the science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/i-think-we-perhaps-are-with-sleep-where-we-were-with-smoking-about-50/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [It's simply that older adults don't seem to be able to generate sleep efficiently, and that's why they're not getting it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/it-s-simply-that-older-adults-don-t-seem-to-be-able-to-generate-sleep/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [The time of night when you sleep makes a significant difference in terms of the structure and quality of your sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/the-time-of-night-when-you-sleep-makes-a-significant-difference-in/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [Do you tend to sleep in during the weekends? That usually signals that you're trying to sleep off a debt you've accumulated during the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/do-you-tend-to-sleep-in-during-the-weekends-that-usually-signals-that/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [No one wants to give up time with their family or entertainment, so they give up sleep instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/no-one-wants-to-give-up-time-with-their-family-or-entertainment-so/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [Your subjective sense of how well you're doing under conditions of sleep deprivation is a miserable predictor of, objectively, how you actually are doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/your-subjective-sense-of-how-well-you-re-doing-under-conditions-of/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [If you were not to set an alarm clock, would you sleep past it? If the answer is yes, then there is clearly more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/if-you-were-not-to-set-an-alarm-clock-would-you-sleep-past-it-if-the/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [Friends say, 'Shall we go out to dinner at 8?' I say, 'I can't, I'm a 10 A.M.-till-6:30 P.M. kind of guy.' I keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/friends-say-shall-we-go-out-to-dinner-at-8-i-say-i-can-t-i-m-a-10-a-m/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [I give myself a non-negotiable eight-hour sleep opportunity every night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/i-give-myself-a-non-negotiable-eight-hour-sleep-opportunity-every/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [We know that efficiency and effectiveness are increased when you're getting sufficient sleep, and it will take you longer to do the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/we-know-that-efficiency-and-effectiveness-are-increased-when-you-re/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [As you try to tweak your sleep one way or the other, you might be, you might be doing great - you might do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/as-you-try-to-tweak-your-sleep-one-way-or-the-other-you-might-be-you/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [Sleep-deprived individuals also generate fewer and less accurate solutions to problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/sleep-deprived-individuals-also-generate-fewer-and-less-accurate/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) [Explore all 72 Matthew Walker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) ## More Biggest mistake quotes > [The biggest mistake girls make is thinking the guy who hurt them once wont do it again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-biggest-mistake-girls-make-is-thinking-the-guy-who-hurt-them-once/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The biggest mistake I see with people who are new to CrossFit is trying to advance too quickly. Just because you can do a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-fraser/the-biggest-mistake-i-see-with-people-who-are-new-to-crossfit-is/) [Mat Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-fraser/) > [If you leave the one you love angry,without saying I Love You, or Goodbye, It could be the most biggest mistake of your life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-stewart/if-you-leave-the-one-you-love-angry-without-saying-i-love-you-or/) Joy Stewart > [My biggest mistake is love you and take you for granted. I'll regret it forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-biggest-mistake-is-love-you-and-take-you-for-granted-i-ll-regret/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The biggest mistake people make when trying to be authentic is just that: they try. They see these role models of what an "authentic"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/the-biggest-mistake-people-make-when-trying-to-be-authentic-is-just/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [I had a couple of agents, but then I went on my own. I thought I could negotiate my own deals and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-grobbelaar/i-had-a-couple-of-agents-but-then-i-went-on-my-own-i-thought-i-could/) [Bruce Grobbelaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-grobbelaar/) > [The biggest mistake I've seen people make with their careers is, when they're good, after two or three years - and they happen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-schwarzman/the-biggest-mistake-i-ve-seen-people-make-with-their-careers-is-when/) [Stephen A. Schwarzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-schwarzman/) > [The press keep asking me, 'What was your biggest mistake?' But if I had made a big mistake, they'd all be writing about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-livingstone/the-press-keep-asking-me-what-was-your-biggest-mistake-but-if-i-had/) [Ken Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-livingstone/) > [The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball, they fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-shoup/the-galleries-are-full-of-critics-they-play-no-ball-they-fight-no/) [David M. Shoup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-shoup/) > [“I’m sorry, babe. I’m sorry I hurt you. I was stupid. I fucked up. I thought I was doing you a favor by keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-abel/i-m-sorry-babe-i-m-sorry-i-hurt-you-i-was-stupid-i-fucked-up-i/) [E.M. Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-abel/) > [“The biggest mistake we commit in life is to think that others will get affected by our action and we shall leave some effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himmilicious/the-biggest-mistake-we-commit-in-life-is-to-think-that-others-will/) Himmilicious > [“At the beginning of the semester, when you asked who I loved the most, an image of my mother popped in my head. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-brianne/at-the-beginning-of-the-semester-when-you-asked-who-i-loved-the-most/) [Sarah Brianne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-brianne/) > [“Truly Falling In Love With you is not one of the greatest mistake of my Life but Trusting you madly is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kashi-khan/truly-falling-in-love-with-you-is-not-one-of-the-greatest-mistake-of/) Kashi khan > [I thought doing reality TV would be the greatest success of my life or the biggest mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethenny-frankel/i-thought-doing-reality-tv-would-be-the-greatest-success-of-my-life/) [Bethenny Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethenny-frankel/) > [Is that your ex? No, that's the biggest mistake of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-martin/is-that-your-ex-no-that-s-the-biggest-mistake-of-my-life/) [Brandon Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-martin/) [Browse all 337 Biggest mistake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biggest-mistake/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If sleep does not provide a remarkable set of benefits, then it's the biggest mistake the evolutionary process has ever made.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matthew Walker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/if-sleep-does-not-provide-a-remarkable-set-of-benefits-then-it-s-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Biggest mistake" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/if-sleep-does-not-provide-a-remarkable-set-of-benefits-then-it-s-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/matthew-walker-9547_biggest-mistake_if-sleep-does-not-provide-a-remarkable-s_442780.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/matthew-walker-9547_biggest-mistake_if-sleep-does-not-provide-a-remarkable-s_442780.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/matthew-walker-9547_biggest-mistake_if-sleep-does-not-provide-a-remarkable-s_442780.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If sleep does not provide a remarkable set of benefits, then it's the biggest mistake the evolutionary…” — Matthew Walker", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Matthew Walker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If sleep does not provide a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/if-sleep-does-not-provide-a-remarkable-set-of-benefits-then-it-s-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/if-sleep-does-not-provide-a-remarkable-set-of-benefits-then-it-s-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```