Sleep is one of the most fundamental aspects of our lives, and does more for us than simply making us feel rested. Sleep has been linked to all sorts of benefits, and as such it’s recommended to get at least eight hours of it every night. So what kind of full night sleep provides in terms of benefits? Here are some of the most important ones to know.
Improved Cognitive Function
If you’re hoping to live a happy and healthy retirement, then one of the best ways to start preserving your brain is by sleeping. Studies show that getting at least eight hours of sleep a night allows your brain to preserve memories, stay focused, and make better decisions. It may even protect against memory-related conditions like Alzheimer’s.
Improved Mood
When you get enough sleep you’ll find that you’re much better at regulating your moods. When you don’t get enough sleep you become more sensitive to criticism, and easily get into arguments. However, when your brain has enough time to regenerate itself you will feel much more positive overall, and less inclined to give in to stress.
Better Overall Physical Health
Sleep plays an important role in keeping your health at its best. It helps regulate your hormones for one, which affects your appetite and can even curb weight gain. Have you ever noticed that when you’re really tired you’re more inclined to graze in the kitchen? Getting an adequate amount of sleep may be the appetite suppressant you’ve been looking for.
Sleep also helps us to repair our muscle tissues. So if you’ve been taking part in an exercise routine and want to restore your muscles, get those z’s in.
Reduced Risk of Diabetes
If you’re someone with a high risk of diabetes, then sleep may just be the answer. Sufficient sleep helps maintain healthy blood pressure, blood sugar levels and may reduce your overall risk of chronic diseases in general.
Greater Productivity
When you get enough sleep you have much more energy, and in turn, you’re more productive. If you have a high-intensity job, then it’s more important than ever that you get an adequate amount of sleep. In turn, you’ll be able to focus for longer stretches of time, and even find you have increased coordination and faster reaction times. In other words, getting enough sleep allows us to perform our best.
As you can see, there are many different benefits to getting enough sleep at night. However, saying you should get enough sleep and actually doing it are two different things.
If you have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep, you may want to try starting a routine. The more you can get your body into a ritual of falling asleep at the same time every night, the more you’ll create healthy sleep habits. Bonne nuit!
