Experts recommend that adults get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. While some can do this each and every night, some struggle to get enough sleep due to a number of potential reasons. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to improve your chances of getting good sleep.
This can include winding down before bed, ensuring your room is dark and quiet and even checking out Shape’s post about stomach sleepers to ensure you are using the proper mattress for your sleeping style.
But why is getting so much sleep so important to our lives? What does sleep do for us and how does it help us be better people? With that in mind, this article is going to go over 7 reasons why it is important to get a good night of rest.
Table of Contents
Sleep Can Improve Productivity
One of the primary benefits of sleep is that it can aid in helping you be more productive at work or school. A lack of sleep can limit your brain power and have a noticeable impact on your performance. You may find yourself struggling to work, study or even focus. In addition to your productivity, good sleep can also provide a boost to your concentration to help you complete your tasks with ease.
Sleeping Can Help Your Immune System Function Better
Your immune system is crucial to helping your body fight off illness and viruses. During sleep, your body rests. This gives your immune cells a chance to take a break and recover in their fight to keep your body healthy. Even a small loss of sleep can make you more prone to illness as your immune system is weaker and less effective.
It Lowers Your Risk for Many Diseases and Other Issues
The quality and duration of your sleep can have a major impact on your risk when it comes to many different diseases and ailments. The more (and better) sleep that you get, the lower your risk will be. Enough sleep can help you reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, just to name a few. Of course, sleeping well won’t make you immune to these ailments, but can give you a better chance of not having to deal with them.
Getting Enough Sleep Can Improve Your Mental Health
Another huge benefit of getting enough sleep is that it can help to improve your mental health. Mental health issues such as depression, have a strong link to poor sleep. The less you sleep and the worse your overall sleeping habits, the worse your mental health will generally be. A lack of sleep can also put you in a worse mood and make you unable to recognize the emotions of others, in some cases.
Sleeping Well Can Help Keep Your Weight Down
If you want to keep your weight in check and stop any unnecessary weight gain in its tracks, sleeping well is a good idea. Those who sleep less tend to weigh more than those who are getting satisfactory amounts of sleep. This is generally because those who lack sleep simply don’t have the energy to be physically active, but the point still stands. Staying healthy can be a lot of work, and those who don’t sleep well simply may not have the desire or drive due to how tired they are.
A Good Sleep Can Boost Your Memory
Memory is crucial to just about everything we do. This includes remembering lessons at school, processes at work or even the names and faces of those you meet. When we are asleep, our mind is still working hard to create memories. It does this by processing the various things you have done, seen, or thought about during the day. A lack of sleep interrupts your body’s ability to create these memories and can leave things a little foggy, instead of crystal clear.
Poor Sleep Can Hurt Your Athletic or Exercise Performance
If you enjoy playing sports or working out, having a lack of sleep can severely impact your performance in a negative manner. The body heals and repairs itself during sleep. So if you hardly sleep, your body will have a hard time recovering and preparing itself for your next physical adventure. Your strength, power and energy can also be negatively affected by a lack of sleep.
In conclusion, we hope that this article has been able to help you learn a few of the biggest reasons why sleep is so important.
