7 Reasons sleep is vital to your mood and health
Wellness

02 August 2019

7 Reasons sleep is vital to your mood and health

7 Reasons sleep is vital to your mood and health

Sleep matters! Our sleep patterns certainly reveal secrets to our moods and health. In fact, literally everyone needs quality sleep each night. Although most of us don't act as if that's such an important rule to stand by and don't realize the health consequences of not getting enough sleep.


As technology increased and integrated deeply into our lives and bedtime, we are now losing sleep. Because we're plugged into electronics nearly 24/7, it can keep us from sleeping well. For instance, Brits alone are getting less and less sleep time. According to the 2017 Great British Bedtime Report, 12 percent of people are having less than five hours sleep a night, up from 7 percent in 2013. The research also reveals that more than a quarter of Brits (26 percent) sleep in an uncomfortable bed.

  

After several sleepless nights, the mental effects of insomnia become more serious, including restlessness, foggy memory, decreased reaction times, among many others. If this still isn't alarming enough, you probably need a few more reasons to invest on a better sleep. So, we have compiled a list of seven reasons why sleep is a fundamental part of living a healthy life.

   

1. Sleeping well leads to weight loss and metabolic regulation

Not getting enough sleep can impact your weight, your metabolism and your hormones. Sleep deprivation has the power to increase stress hormones and alter the way our bodies process carbohydrates as well as affecting our appetite.

 woman sleeping

   

2. You can sleep your skin younger

The term 'beauty sleep" didn't gain popularity for no reason. The amount of sleep we get (or don't!) shows up on our faces. Problems sleeping can lead to reduced skin elasticity over time. That means more dark circles, breakouts and quicker aging. Face it: skincare products may be extremely popular but, if you truly seek a long-term solution, try to improve your sleeping habits and thank us later.

   

3. Good sleep boosts your memory

Sleep helps your brain to recover and revive itself night after night, helping you store your memories and create new ideas. This means that the quality of sleep we get determines how well we remember things and how well we absorb information. All in all, better sleep means better cognitive functions.

    

4. Prevention of infections and diseases

If you seem to catch every cold that's going around, your bedtime could be to blame. Speaking of physical health, a good night's rest also improves your body's ability to fight off infection as your cells rebuild. When it comes to diseases, sleep deprivation include heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, as well as increased risk of obesity and diabetes. Overall, a good night's sleep boosts your immune system, helping your body recover from illnesses faster.

 coffee mug

   

5. Sleep helps maintain your physical reaction times

Due to the sleep deficit, you may see a reduction in reaction times and reflexes. When your sleep debt really begins to add up, you may expose yourself to serious side effects like falling asleep at the wheel as you drive. Your risk of injury and accidents at home, work and on the road also increases. In the end, the best solution is simply to get some rest.

   

6. Increased productivity

Finding the right amount of restful sleep a night is key for your body and mind. Once you manage your sleeping cycles and habits, you could potentially increase productivity. According to experts, even after the worst night's sleep, a 10-minute nap can significantly increase short-term alertness and improve problem-solving skills.

   

7. Regular sleeping habits increase the overall quality of sleep

Different people require different amounts of sleep. Even though there's no strict rule for how long we should all be sleeping, is generally recommended that adults aged 18-65 require between 7-9 hours a night, while adults over 65 need between 7-9 hours a night. If you can sync up with your body's natural sleep schedule (or at least maintain steady habits), you will get better sleep. In short, you should consider your real-life sleeping needs.

 sleeping cat

   

The way we live has a big impact on our sleep. The last thing we do before sleeping is often using our phones, tablet, or computer. Instead, listening to sleep-inducing music or meditation and breathing exercises are some tricks you use to maintain healthy sleep habits to a happier, healthier you.

    

While you sleep, your body builds and repairs itself, so, good sleep allows you to relax, ultimately improving your mental and emotional wellbeing. Sometimes sleeping in is treated as a luxury. Well, we say use the weekend or days off to get in some extra 'recovery" sleep (no alarm clocks allowed!).

  

Keeping it simple: go to sleep, for the sake of your health! And, please, stop sacrificing your sleep all the time just to get 'one more thing" done.

Leave your comment on this article

Form successfully submitted.
Required field.
Invalid field
Field with maximum character limit
This field doesn't match with the previous one
Field with minimum character limit
There was a submission error, please review the form.

* Required fields.