The Link Between Sleep and Youthfulness
Even in the 21st century we still struggle to understand the mechanisms by which sleep provides its immense benefits. Rest not only keeps us healthy, but it's also a requirement of life. Prolonged sleep deprivation has dangerous effects on health and wellness and can eventually even be fatal. While our bodies can make do with limited sleep, it has adverse effects on health, wellness, and longevity.
We all understand the effects that are directly related to being tired and exhausted, such as poor concentration, mood instability, grogginess, and lack of energy, but it can also increase the risk of stroke and heart attack. For a wide variety of reasons, poor sleeping habits and sleeplessness have profound effects on wellness. Restful sleep is associated with a range of positive health outcomes, many of which are associated with youthfulness and longevity.
Well Rested Individuals Are More Attractive To Their Peers
Attractiveness is a complicated metric that is strongly impacted by the preferences of the individual, but general attractiveness can be measured. In a study published in 2010, researchers took photos of the same participants; one photo was taken after a restful night of sleep and the second after being awake for 31 hours. A group of observers was then brought in to assess several characteristics associated with the individual. Observers noted that the participants looked more exhausted, less healthy, and less attractive after the extended period of sleep deprivation.
Researchers hypothesized that humans are highly capable of recognizing signs of sleeplessness and that these cues can have a negative impact on how a person is perceived by others. For example, if you interview for a job while exhausted, your potential employer may see the exhaustion and tiredness in your face, and this could have negative consequences on your hiring prospects.
People That Sleep Well Are More Fit On Average
Sleep also has substantial effects on metabolism and exercise results. For one, when you're tired, it's harder to work up the energy to exercise and make smart eating decisions. Furthermore, the body produces Testosterone and muscles go into a state of repair during rest, which helps build muscle and increase calorie-burning power.
Sleep also affects the expression of critical hunger-hormones Ghrelin and Leptin. Your body produces more Ghrelin, which encourages hunger response. The digestive system also produces less Leptin, which is the hormone which triggers the sensation of fullness and satisfaction. All of this means that you eat more and your body burns calories more slowly, leading to weight gain and increased risk of dangerous health conditions associated with obesity and excess body fat.
Sleeping Well Improves Skin Appearance and Health
The skin is arguably the largest organ in the human body, and healthy skin does more for the appearance of good health than almost any other factor. The skin is also in a constant state of cellular division and rejuvenation which is amplified by good sleep. Studies have repeatedly shown that healthy sleeping habits are associated with tighter, smoother, more elastic skin. Also, many of the negative visual aspects of poor sleep are demonstrated through the skin, such as bags under the eyes and dark circles. The skin also self-moisturizes more effectively if you get plenty of rest, avoiding the appearance of ashy skin while encouraging a youthful glow.
Sleeping Well Keeps the Body and Mind Loose
Even though we work, learn, and play while we are awake, it is during sleep that our body internalizes the benefits of the day's actions. Poor sleep is associated with impaired long-term memory acquisition. This means that you're less likely to remember the things that you learned that day. It's also harder to concentrate in the first place, which makes it more difficult to internalize new concepts and ideas.
Our bodies also react to physical activity while we sleep. Your tissues and ligaments become more flexible and less prone to damage and injury as a result of healthy rest. Healthy sleep also helps the body and mind work together more effectively, improving motor memory and the ability to perform complex tasks.
Healthy Sleep Boosts the Expression of Human Growth Hormone
HGH is one of the most vital hormones that our bodies produce, and it's created at its highest volume during deep sleep. Human Growth Hormone encourages healthy cellular metabolism, which is associated with good health in a wide range of different ways. Low Growth Hormone Levels are associated with fatigue, slow healing, depression, lack of focus, weight gain, and more. The older that you get, the more important that it becomes to adopt habits associated with healthy HGH Levels because the body produces less and less of it over time. Exercise, proper nutrition, and healthy sleeping habits are all associated with maximum natural expression of Human Growth Hormone.
Steps to Encourage Healthier Sleep
Since Human Growth Hormone is released during slow-wave sleep, it's important to not only make sure that you get a full night's sleep but to make efforts to encourage restful sleep. The following are some steps that you can take to make sure you get the best possible sleep:
- Make sure that your bedroom is as close to total darkness as possible when the lights are off
- Don't use electronic devices, watch television, or play video games in bed
- Schedule yourself time to get ready for bed and wind down
- Exercise daily
- Limit naps if you're having trouble getting a full night's sleep (7-9 hours)
- Take steps to normalize and regulate your sleep schedule