Is Sleep as Important as the Experts Say?

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If you’ve ever spent a night tossing and turning or you have pulled an all-nighter, you know just how horrible you feel in the morning. You’re groggy, cranky, have no motivation, and just don’t feel normal.

Sleep certainly makes you feel better, but its importance extends far beyond improving your mood. Health experts have long studied the effects of sleep – or lack of it – on the human body, and they all agree that sleep is, in fact, one of the most important elements of a healthy lifestyle.

Here’s a look at the way sleep affects your mental, physical, and emotional health. After reading, you’ll definitely want to get more sleep!

Sleep Makes You Sharper

Though you may not realize it, your brain is really busy when you’re asleep. While you sleep, your brain works to store memories and even practices new skills that you learn when you are awake. The more you sleep, the sharper your mind will be. So, if you’re trying to ace that exam, instead of staying up studying into the wee hours of the night, get some shut eye!

Fights Inflammation

Inflammation is no joke. It increases the risk of several serious health conditions, including stroke, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and arthritis. It even contributes to premature aging.

Scientific studies have found that people who sleep less than six hours a night have higher levels of inflammatory proteins in their blood than people who sleep six or more hours a night. If you want to combat the negative effects of inflammation, you’re going to want to get more rest.

Boosts Athletic Performance

When you sleep, your body enters recovery mode. If you workout, your muscles will actually repair themselves, which can help to boost your strength. As a result, when you get plenty of sleep, you’ll have more energy and strength, which will have a positive impact on your physical performance.

Enhances Immunity

All of the systems within your body benefit from sleep, including your immune system. The stronger your immune system is, the more effective it is at fighting off illnesses. So, getting a healthy amount of sleep is actually important for your physical health, as it can help your immune system stave off various illnesses.

Supports Weight Loss

If you’ve been trying to shed some pounds but haven’t had much success, despite eating a well-balanced diet and working out, your sleep habits could be to blame.

It turns out that you can actually lose weight while you’re asleep. During sleep, your body produces melatonin, a protein that aids in burning calories and fat. So, if you want to shed some pounds, try hitting the sheets and getting a good night of sleep.

Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Have you ever noticed how stressed out you feel when you’re tired? It seems like you make mountains out of molehills and have a hard time trying to figure out how to navigate through the challenges that life throws your way – even the tiny ones, like dropping your keys on the ground when you’re walking to the car.

Sleep makes you more alert and assists with problem solving. It also helps you figure out how to cope. Therefore, if you want to reduce your stress and anxiety levels, you really need to make getting enough sleep a top priority.

Reduced Risk of Injury

Sleep deprivation seriously impacts alertness. The less alert you are, the more likely it is that you’ll make a mistake that could result in an accident. For example, you’re more inclined to trip, fall, or get in a car accident if you haven’t gotten enough sleep. Since sleep makes you more alert, it can also help to reduce your risk of injury.

Anna L.

It’s all about health!
I have academic background in drugs related Chemical Technology, as well as extensive professional experience in pharma and medical companies. My main area of interest is everyday life medicine. The goal of my articles is to give people informative answers to the questions that bother them, to dispel doubts and some common misbeliefs and also to inspire everyone to keep healthy lifestyle.

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