Sleep and health is a topic we should talk about more often as sleep plays an important role in our everyday lives and It impacts every aspect of our lives. Doctors, scientists, and experts have focused some time on this important but often neglected part of our daily routine which is sleep.
Here, let’s discuss some benefits sleep has in our lives and why we should get good night sleep.
Sleep Disorder and Health
Researches have shown that people who have good sleeping habits have a lower risk of getting diabetes, heart disease, cognitive decline, stroke, and death for any reason. Although some people may need less or more than the average time range, experts recommend having at least seven to nine hours of sleep at night for most people.
Also, you’re more likely to gain weight and have a higher level of stress hormone cortisol when you lack good sleep.
Study showed that your brain cleans itself when it is at rest.
An article by Harvard Medical School, Dr. Manson mentioned that during sleep the brain gets rid of a harmful protein known as beta-amyloid. So in case of lack of sleep, this harmful protein builds up the plaques that are characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease.
Sleep and depression
Doctors have been asking if there is not a correlation between sleep disorders and depression?
Studies have stated that sleep duration outside the normal recommended range ( sleeping disorder ) increases the risk of depressive symptoms.
Concentration and productivity
Many pieces of evidence and studies looking up on sleep deprivation conclude that sleep has a link to concentration and many brain functions. So the lack of sleep can impair your concentration abilities.
You are less focused at work when you have not had a good sleep in a while. And your productivity level lowers when you sleep less than recommended. Highly productive people advise for developing a good sleep pattern. As mentioned above the lack of sleep can have bad effects on cognitive functions.
A study on children showed that their sleep patterns can have a direct impact on their behavior and their at-school performance.
Athletic performance
One good reason athletes may need between seven to nine hours of sleep is that the body heals during sleep. So, good sleep helps get better performance, more energy, better coordination, faster speed, better mental functioning, and muscle recovery.
Sleep, often neglected, is vital for the overall body’s health and well being. Thus, to prevent excessive weight gain, heart diseases, and depression getting good sleep is imperative. Also, getting good sleep doesn’t only contribute to reducing inflammation and getting stronger immune systems it also helps the body recovers, regenerates, and repairs itself.
