The 6 Benefits of Good Sleep
The 6 Benefits of Good Sleep
Many people know that good sleep is good for their health. Fewer understand the specific reasons why good sleep is so vital. With people having to work longer hours just to stay ahead of their bills and realize their financial goals, there’s never been a more apt time to discuss the compelling reasons why one shouldn’t compromise on their sleep time.
We look at the most important benefits below.
Weight Management
A number of studies have linked the lack of sleep to weight gain. All factors constant, persons who don’t get adequate sleep each day weigh considerably more than those who get enough sleep. Quality sleep is essential if you want to lose weight.
Short sleep duration is a key cause of obesity. The physiological explanation hasn’t been conclusively settled but some popular theories include hormone balance disruption, diminished interest in physical exercise (you are less likely to be enthusiastic about keeping fit when your mind isn’t well rested) and a tendency to eat more.
Productivity
Sleep is triggered when your brain signals its desire for rest. It follows therefore that the more rested you are, the better your brain performs. This includes better concentration and cognition which in turn leads to optimal productivity.
Workers who aren’t getting enough sleep make a significantly higher number of errors than those who do. Quality sleep enhances problem-solving capacity and improves memory. Short sleep can have the same type of negative effect on the brain as alcohol intoxication.
Heart Disease and Stroke
Healthcare professionals have long known that the quality and duration of sleep is a substantial risk factor for stroke and heart disease. Hence the recommendation of a certain minimum number of hours of sleep per day. People who sleep for less than six hours a night are at heightened risk of heart disease.
But it’s not just short sleep that’s a problem; irregular sleep patterns are just as hazardous. People whose sleep hours swing wildly below and above the recommended 7 to 9 hour norm have been linked to a plethora of cardiovascular risks such as high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.
Depression
Mental illnesses such as depression are closely linked to sleeping disorders and overall poor sleep quality. About 9 in 10 persons diagnosed with depression experience poor quality sleep. Poor sleep is also a potential trigger for suicidal thoughts.
Likewise, people with sleeping disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia have a higher incidence of depression. Sleep-deprived persons have a lower ability to shift their attention from negative and distressing stimuli. Ergo, feelings of hopelessness may linger throughout the day thus entrenching sadness and eventually depression.
Immunity
Even a small deterioration in quality and quantity of sleep has been shown to diminish the body’s immune function. One extensive study looked at how different people faired when they were exposed to the cold virus.
The study found that persons who had less than seven hours of sleep were nearly three times more likely to catch a cold when compared to those who had eight hours of sleep or more. It makes sense when you remember that the recommended treatment for a cold includes getting plenty of bed rest
Interpersonal Relations
Inadequate sleep inhibits your ability to have positive interactions with the people around you. Individuals who haven’t slept well are often irritable so this isn’t surprising.
In addition though, people who are sleepless struggle to recognize facial expressions depicting happiness and anger. They therefore miss out on valuable social cues that would enable them more accurately handle certain situations.
Regular exercise, a good diet and competent healthcare professionals, e.g. those whose quality management systems have been reviewed by https://emmainternational.com/, are often cited as the primary pillars of physical wellbeing. Good sleep may not be as talked about as these three but it’s certainly an indispensable factor in a high quality of life.
