10 Benefits of Sleeping Well
Having good sleep habits is just as important as eating healthy and exercising every day. Beyond eliminating dark circles and being more productive, sleeping well is the key to a healthy lifestyle that could prevent everything from depression to cardiovascular disease.
Modern life is demanding; it demands more active hours and less sleep. However, it’s of great importance that people are aware of this and strive to get enough sleep more often.
The benefits of sleeping well
Unfortunately, getting a good night’s sleep has been listed as the last priority, after household chores, work, social life, entertainment, and fun. However, it’s time to give it its place, due to its effect on physical and mental health.
1. Sleeping well reduces the risk of gaining weight
Not getting enough rest is related to risk factors for obesity. An investigation by the scientific journal Sleep concluded that children with short sleep duration have an 89% probability of developing obesity, while adults who don’t get enough sleep have a 55% probability.
Other studies also affirm that the growth of obesity is accompanied by chronic sleep deprivation. Children who don’t get enough hours of sleep tend to gain weight and are prone to obesity throughout their lives.
2. Increased productivity and concentration
Things like cognition, productivity, performance, and concentration are factors of brain function that could be affected to a greater extent by lack of sleep. It could even lead to significant functional impairment in students and, as a consequence, lead to low grades.
According to a study in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, poor sleep has an effect on the variation of cognitive resources. It’s believed that this could have an impact on emotions and children’s daily learning.
It’s common for students to make the mistake of staying up all night studying for tests and exams. This sleep deprivation has an unfavorable impact and a disadvantage compared to those who did take rest.
3. Better regulation of calories
Similar to how lack of sleep impacts weight gain, research suggests that sleeping well plays an important role in energy metabolism, thereby affecting the hormones responsible for appetite.
Sleeping well helps people consume fewer calories during the day and have a greater ability to correctly regulate food intake. Conversely, lack of sleep causes higher levels of ghrelin, a substance responsible for stimulating appetite.
4. It could maximize athletic performance
Greater mental well-being, precision, speed, and reaction time were the results of a study carried out on athletes who had more sleep, compared to those who slept fewer hours.
At the same time, a scientific analysis with a group of 2889 women showed that lack of sleep is associated with functional limitation, lower execution strength, slower walking, and greater difficulty in performing different activities. It’s best to sleep between 7 to 9 hours to have a better intensity of performance in athletic routines.
5. Lower risk of heart disease
A good night’s rest allows blood pressure to regulate, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The benefit of the quality and duration of sleep isn’t reduced to this but is also associated with reducing other risk factors that promote the development of chronic diseases.
People who sleep less than 7 hours a night are more likely to have a stroke or heart disease. According to research published in the European Heart Journal, people who get enough hours of sleep are less likely to face this type of disorder.
6. Sleeping well reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes
The body’s ability to regulate blood sugar or increase insulin sensitivity is linked to a good night’s rest. A study of healthy men who slept about 4 hours for 6 nights in a row showed symptoms of prediabetes. The value changed when these same subjects had a week with longer sleep duration.
Likewise, research suggests that people with sleep disorders are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The quantity and quality of sleep significantly influence glucose regulation.
7. Less prone to depression
JAMA Psychiatry investigated suicide patterns for several years and concluded that poor sleep quality could influence suicidal behavior.
At the same time, a study published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry suggests that around 90% of people with depressive states report having sleep quality problems. Likewise, those who suffer from sleep disorders, apnea, or insomnia present more significant symptoms of depression.
8. Improves immune function
One of the most well-known benefits of sleep is that it allows the body to repair, regenerate, and recover. The opposite occurs when there’s partial or little loss of sleep, according to The FASEB Journal. This results in a reduction in the body’s natural immune responses and the production of cytokines by cells.
If you’re a person who frequently suffers from colds, a good remedy for it may be to sleep at least 8 hours each night. According to research, those who had less sleep were 3 times more likely to get sick than those who got a full night’s rest.
9. Reduces inflammation
Sleep may be linked to reducing inflammation in the body. The opposite occurs when there’s insomnia, as cell damage increases and markers of inflammation are activated, according to a study.
Sleep deprivation causes long-term inflammation in the digestive tract. Likewise, it was also discovered that people with Crohn’s disease who slept little were twice as likely to relapse.
Experts recommend evaluating sleep to help predict future inflammatory problems. It’s important to sleep at least 8 hours each night.
10. Improves emotional health and social interactions
Poor sleep reduces the ability to recognize cues and facial expressions or process emotional information, so the ability to interact in society is minimized.
According to a study published in the scientific journal Sleep, lack of sleep affects the accurate judgment of recognizing facial expressions, especially feelings of happiness and anger. In this regard, it’s best to sleep well in order to have more stable emotional health and improve interactions with others.
Tips to improve sleep quality
Healthy and restful sleep can be positively stimulated by certain activities. These ideas can help, so consider practicing them often:
- Have a specific bedtime: Even if it’s a weekend or you’re on vacation. Sticking to a schedule will train your body.
- You may love your pets, but research indicates that humans who sleep with animals often have disrupted sleep or sleep in an uncomfortable position, which ultimately affects postural hygiene.
- Avoid consuming a lot of caffeine: Try not to drink it after noon.
- Put the phone and TV away an hour before bed: Bright lights stimulate the brain.
- Avoid drinking alcohol: You may be able to fall asleep, but when you wake up, you’ll feel exhausted.
What to remember about the benefits of sleeping well
The demands of life in today’s society could prevent us from enjoying an exquisite restful sleep. Problems and diseases worsen as sleep time is postponed. It may seem like an exaggeration, but lack of sleep can end your life if you drive a car.
In the long and short term, it causes you to acquire certain conditions, such as cardiovascular conditions, weak immunity, decreased libido, weight gain, and depression.
Perhaps one of the greatest pleasures in life that can be compared to eating is sleeping, so don’t deprive yourself of this privilege and take it as seriously as playing sports and eating healthy foods. In case of experiencing sleep disorders, go to the doctor promptly.
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