What are the potential pitfalls of using the sleep() function in PHP scripts for delaying script execution, especially in the context of running scripts continuously?

Using the sleep() function in PHP scripts for delaying script execution can lead to inefficient use of system resources, especially when running scripts continuously. A better approach is to use a cron job or a task scheduler to run the script at specified intervals, rather than relying on sleep() to pause execution.

// Instead of using sleep() in a continuous script, consider using a cron job or task scheduler to run the script at specified intervals.
// This way, you can avoid potential pitfalls of using sleep() for delaying script execution.

// Example of using a cron job to run a PHP script every 5 minutes:
// */5 * * * * /usr/bin/php /path/to/your/script.php