8 Awesome Benefits of Getting More Sleep
Getting more sleep is crucial for physical and mental health, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. It is a fundamental pillar of a healthy lifestyle, and prioritizing sleep can lead to numerous benefits in various aspects of life.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults aged 18 to 64 need at least seven to nine hours of sleep every day. Unfortunately, most adults are unable to get the recommended sleep for variety of reasons such as finishing a deadline or a crying baby next door.
In case you rarely visit dreamland, here are seven reasons why you should work on your sleeping schedule to get your energy levels back to 100 percent and feel all the benefits of getting more sleep:
Benefits of Getting More Sleep
1. Getting enough sleep boosts your immune system.
There is a reason why your grandmother tells you to sleep every time you are sick. This is because when you sleep, your immune system works double time to help your body battle and recover from the infection.
This follows that lack of sleep means depleting immune system, which disables your body to fight infection and makes you more prone to illness.
2. More sleep makes you happier.
Are you wondering why people say “sleep it off” when caught in a stressful situation? It turns out that sleep could ease your mind and reduce your stress level, thereby makes you happier and clear-minded.
It also recharges you to prepare for the next day. You are less irritable too, which adds to your happier disposition.
3. It reduces your cravings.
There are two hormones that regulate your appetite: leptin or satiety hormone, and ghrelin or hunger hormone.
When you are sleep-deprived, leptin hormones go down while ghrelin increases.
When this happens, your appetite rises and makes you hungrier. Unfortunately, you tend to eat more salty, sugary, and high-crab foods instead of going for the healthier foods.
4. It makes your memory sharper.
Did you know that your ability to learn tasks, and retain and process memory is at their peak during your sleep? This means if you are studying for an exam, sleeping early will help you remember what you studied the night before compared to skipping sleep.
In other words, learning is more efficient and there is a higher possibility that you will retain and remember what you learned. That’s another one of the great benefits of getting more sleep.
Read also: 8 Memory Hacks to Maximize Brain Power
5. Decreases the risk of diabetes.
It turns out that too much sugar is not enough to trigger diabetes. If you are not getting enough sleep, there is a higher risk of developing diabetes too.
Lack of sleep impairs metabolic processes, thereby disrupting the normal regulation of glucose levels. To minimize the risk, get enough shut-eye.
6. Getting more sleep keeps your heart healthy.
Here’s the thing: a problematic heart could lead to health issues. When you sleep less than the recommended number of hours, you tend to develop high blood pressure, which could pave way to various cardiovascular problems.
7. Improved skin health.
Good sleep can contribute to healthier skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, dark circles, and promoting a more youthful appearance.
As mentioned on WebMD:
“Skin makes new collagen when you sleep, which prevents sagging. “That’s part of the repair process,” says Patricia Wexler, MD, a dermatologist in New York. More collagen means skin is plumper and less likely to wrinkle.
Only getting 5 hours a night can lead to twice as many fine lines as sleeping 7 would.”
8. A longer and healthier life.
Here’s the bottom line: sleep keeps you healthy – and the benefits mentioned can attest to that. If you get enough sleep, then you will be able to enjoy all of these benefits such as better working immune system, a happier disposition, and healthier heart. All of these situations lead to a healthier and longer life.
What other benefits of getting more sleep can you think of?
About The Author
This is a guest post by Bill Brown from Port Lavaca Dentistry – an American content writer whose writings are not only descriptive but also meaningful. He loves reading and writing blogs about different categories like health care, fitness, beauty, motivation, finance and many more.
