The Power of Sleep
Whether you’re a night owl or a well known early bird, you have heard how important getting your zzzzzz’s can be. From a young age we have always been told about how sleep is vital to our wellbeing. But why is that? What is it that makes getting good sleep so necessary and what are the benefits of it?
It turns out that getting good sleep has a lot more benefits then allowing you to avoid feeling hazy all day. A good night's rest can improve your productivity, strengthen your immune system, prevent depression, allow you to make better decisions, and even help maintain your weight.
Medical news today stated, “Sleep loss alters normal functioning of attention and disrupts the ability to focus on environmental sensory input”. The chances of a serious accident, such as a car crash, dramatically increase when the person accountable does not get the proper sleep amount. Lack of focus due to sleep loss has consequences, and these consequences could show up in your work productivity if action is not taken to get the rest you need.
How many times have you started a diet just to end up gaining all the weight you lost a few days later? Did you know that maybe just maybe the trick to maintaining a healthy weight isn’t dieting at all, but rather regular sleep? Studies have shown that those who lack sleep tend to have increased in their body max index. So getting sleep isn’t just for your brain, but good for maintaining a healthy weight as well.
Mental illness seems to have a hold on many people today in the US. Nearly 1 in 5 people today have a mental illness. When it comes to mental illnesses and sleep health said the following. “Although scientists are still trying to tease apart all the mechanisms, they've discovered that sleep disruption — which affects levels of neurotransmitters and stress hormones, among other things — wreaks havoc in the brain, impairing thinking and emotional regulation. In this way, insomnia may amplify the effects of psychiatric disorders, and vice versa.”
While it may be hard to find the time to get proper sleep, the benefits are significantly important. Sleep can help you to be well, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Set a goal for how many hours of sleep you are going to get each night, and stick to it! We know that you will benefit from the results and be thankful you did.