Many of us love to get a good night’s rest in and feel refreshed and ready for the day in the morning. More than just feeling awake, getting a good night’s sleep actually has many benefits that help us make us happier, healthier people.
A Sharper Brain and Better Concentration & Productivity
Sleeping is when our body is resting and recharging, and affects different areas of our brain like concentration and productivity. Good sleep
-Learning and memory, helps us remember small details. Without sleep it’s hard to remember and take in new information.
Mood Boost
Sleep also helps our brains process emotions. Allowing our brain to rest also helps us react to events throughout the day. This means if we’re well rested, we’re more likely to have a positive or thoughtful response rather than negative ones.
Chronic lack of sleep can also increase the chances of mental health issues like depression or anxiety because our brains aren’t running optimally due to lack of sleep.
Healthier Heart/Decrease Risk of Heart Disease
Our blood pressure goes down as we sleep which gives our blood vessels and heart a rest. If we don’t get enough rest, this mean our blood vessels are working for a longer period of time which can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. Studies have shown that those who sleep less than 7-8 hours per night are at a higher risk of heart disease than those who do.
Better Weight Control
There are many thing we can do to keep our weight under control like eating healthy, whole foods, and avoiding eating right before bed. Sleep also plays a factor in weight control because a lack of sleep affects blood sugar sensitivity.
During deep sleep, the amount of blood sugar drops which like many of our points, gives the body time to rest and recuperate. Lack of sleep makes it harder for our bodies to respond to blood sugar levels and increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Improved Athleticism
Getting a good night’s sleep can help with sports and athletics because it allows your muscles time to repair, and it also helps with motivation to keep going. This is especially helpful for endurance sports like biking and running. Lack of sleep can also decrease response and reaction times, speed, and accuracy in sports.
Final thoughts? Get those sleep hours in!
