Sleep is very important for health. Everyone has heard about it. But when life gets busy, sleeping is the first thing to get sacrificed. This is actually very bad. Good sleep is as important as eating healthy and exercising. While we are sleeping, the body is working hard maintaining the immune system and metabolic function, processing the day’s memories and maintaining normal body weight, is rebuilding muscles that have been worn down during the day and is cleaning away harmful plaques and waste that is produced in the brain.
Sleep is also essential for the mind and emotions. Being sleep deprived can increase your emotional response to negative feelings by 60%. A lack of sleep makes it difficult for the body to regulate appetite, the immune system, good metabolic function and the ability to maintain normal body weight. Sleep plays an important role in regulating the circadian rhythm (AKA internal clock). This clock runs on a 24-hour schedule and regulates when you feel awake and sleepy. Not sleeping long enough, sleeping at odd times of the day and exposure to bright light at night may throw off this inner clock and the many processes it regulates.
The goal of this week is to sleep between 7 and 9 hours per night. If for you is really a challenge, start out by going to bed every day 15 minutes earlier than normal until you reach your wished night time.
Hopefully, you will join me on this week’s focus. If so, let’s connect on Instagram and exchange tips on how to go to bed earlier.