Sleep is an essential component of human health, and depriving your body of better sleep is compromising its cognitive function.
Quite a significant number of today’s working Americans are either sleeping less and working more in the name of enhancing productivity or are sleep-deprived for reasons beyond them. Either way, they’re losing a lot in terms of getting their bodies to function optimally when they don’t sleep better. Experts advise that a minimum of seven hours of uninterrupted sleep is vital and that sleeping hours should never be substituted with working hours.
The following are ten benefits of getting enough sleep that should make you want to rest whenever you can.
1. Long healthy life
Sleeping less cannot mean more productivity, and if you think so, you’re mistaken. In a study carried out in 2010, it was established that women who slept for less than 6 hours a night were at a much higher risk of dying than those who slept for more hours. Getting adequate sleep means resting all your body muscles and creating the ideal environment for healing and recuperation.
2. Sleep helps improve your memory
Scientists can confirm that sleep is essential in memory consolidation. While the body is at rest during sleep, the brain is not as it is busy processing the events of the day, connecting events, memories, and feelings. When you get adequate sleep, you’re helping your overall wellbeing as your mind is actively involved in whatever happens throughout your day, and hence, in your everyday life.
3. Sleep minimizes inflammation
The levels of inflammation in your body can be raised due to lack of adequate sleep, which causes stress hormones to multiply. The results are cancer, diabetes, and heart-related conditions, among other ailments. For a long time, deterioration has been attributed to, among other things inflammation. Ensure that you sleep better every night and minimize inflammation levels significantly.
4. Sleep improves the health of your heart
In most cases, heart attacks and strokes are prevalent in the early hours of the morning due to how sleep interacts with the blood vessels. Lack of sleep only worsens the situation as it can be a cause of high blood pressure as well as cholesterol; the main risk factors for strokes and heart attacks. The heart of an individual who sleeps between 7 and 9 hours a night will be healthier, and the risk of related conditions will be reduced considerably.
5. Sleep reduces stress levels
The body naturally goes into a problematic state of stress once you become sleep deprived. All its functions become highly alert, causing blood pressure to rise, and consequently, the production of stress hormones. When it becomes a trend, the risk of heart attack and strokes becomes real, and these stress hormones only make it harder for you to fall asleep. Should you find yourself undergoing such a situation, there are relaxation techniques meant to counter stress effects to help you fall asleep faster and better.
6. Sleep helps you lose weight
There is evidence to show that people who sleep less are more likely to gain extreme weight or become obese. Lack of sleep causes a hormonal imbalance of leptin and ghrelin in the body, which in turn affects your appetite. These are hormones highly sensitive to lack of sleep; therefore, if you’re on a weight loss journey, adequate sleep is a must. Nutritionists and wellness coaches always advise people to get enough rest in addition to a good diet and proper workout regimens.
7. Sleep reduces the risk of depression
Adequate sleep or lack of it impacts several essential body chemicals, one of which is serotonin. Serotonin is vital for the prevention of depression and other conditions, and it is a known fact that its deficiency can have harsh consequences. By getting sufficient amounts of sleep, you will be reducing the chances of suffering from depression by a large percentage. Always aspire to sleep for between 7 and 9 hours a night.
8. Napping sharpens your brain
Sleeping is not just beneficial during the night. Experts have proved that taking a nap during the day refreshes your mind and is suitable for the overall wellbeing. A good number of people consider caffeine to be the most effective way to get refreshed, but a nap can be equally refreshing. In a study carried out among Greek adults, the results in support of day time nap were overwhelming. It was found out that people who slept for a few hours during the day had lower risks of heart diseases. Also, people who nap at work exhibit lower stress levels, and their moods are always improving.
9. Sleep creates the right atmosphere for the body to repair itself
A lot of things happen when you sleep better. While you’re relaxing, the body is tasked with repairing all the damage done by stress and other harmful experiences. Body cells produce high amounts of protein when you’re asleep, forming building blocks from protein molecules. The sole purpose of these blocks is to facilitate the repair of any damages done throughout the day and to give the body its usual functionalities back.
10. Sleep makes you alert
Sleeping better enables you to feel more energized and well prepared for the events of the next day. You become more attentive as you go about the day’s work after resting well, and your levels of concentration are super high. It also means your brain and body are well engaged and active throughout the day, setting the stage for another good night rest. When the cycle goes on, you create the right environment for healthy living; hence, a long life.
Sleeping less with the hope of doing more is depriving yourself a healthy life. Doctors warn that denying yourself adequate sleep is one of the surest ways of inviting death. If you have trouble getting sleep, it is advisable to work towards addressing the problem. That way, you’ll be increasing the chances of leading a healthy lifestyle free from deadly heart attacks and slow death.