10 Facts About The Importance Of Sleep

Many believe that sleep is just an opportunity for our body to rest and recover its strength. But while accepting the undeniable fact that sleep is necessary many still continue to take it lightly, considering sleep to be a waste of time, especially with all the things that need doing! However, there are many good reasons to sleep a little longer, and not just to be idle or to rest. Here are some examples: 

1. Sleep helps to avoid diabetes and heart disease

We’re all familiar with nights when sleep evades us. We toss and turn, then get up and think, well, I’ll just sleep later. Few people realize that nights such as these are a risk. Specialists say that people who don’t sleep well are more at risk of getting diabetes or having a heart attack because your body gets run down, even though you may be feeling normal. A few sleepless nights a week is reason to be on your guard.  

2. Sleep helps to be happier 

Lack of sleep, insomnia, or poor sleep heightens the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in our body. You don’t sleep enough, this worries you, you have less energy, your concentration and activity levels decrease, this worries you, and your cortisol levels rise again. Then the cycle repeats. This is why sleeping well is not just part of an idle lifestyle, though businessmen often promote this idea, saying that 4-5 hours of sleep is enough for the body to recover. This is not the case. Dedicating 7-8 hours of sleep a day not only helps you rest, but also makes you happier because oxytocin, endorphins and serotonin (the happiness hormones) are being emitted. In other words, sleeping a few extra hours will make you happier on a biological level, that is how the body works.   

3. Sleep helps keep off the extra weight 

Have you ever noticed that the less you sleep, the more you want to eat? Scholars at Hendrix College did a whole experiment and proved that lack of sleep causes an unnaturally strong need for food. The brain needs fuel to function, so it replenishes its energy stores with the help of food. So if you want to lose weight, get your 8 hours of sleep! 

4. Sleep heals

Scientists have proven, that if you weren’t able to sleep 7-8 hours, it’s good to catch up during the day, taking a 30-40 minute nap between 1 pm and 4 pm. Uninterrupted sleep is more effective of course, but better to catch up on your sleep during the day then to not get enough sleep weeks at a time! 

5. Sleep strengthens your immune system 

Our immune system fends off thousands of viral attacks a day. We can help it do that, if we will sleep at least 7 hours a day, because when we sleep all our bodily functions slow down except for immune responses to potential threats. In other words, while we’re sleeping our immune system has better chances of fighting off intruders. 

6. Sleep helps the brain to function 

Scholars have proved that sleep is directly connected to cognitive function. After a sleepless night the brain functions worse and attention to detail decreases. 7-8 hours of sleep restores the speed at which brain neurons work and increases memory and concentration. 

7. Sleep makes us younger 

Probably all of us have woken up after a sleepless night and wondered – who is that scary person in the mirror with the crumpled face? He looks 200 years old! How did he get in my house? This isn’t just irony! When we sleep our body emits certain hormones which are necessary for healthy skin and our overall health.  We will truly look younger if we sleep enough. 

8. Sleep puts you in a good mood

Sleep has a big impact on our nervous system. People who have problems sleeping are more prone to depression. Besides, while we sleep our brain processes stressful information so that when we wake up we are better able to deal with stress.  

9. Sleep curbs the desire for junk food 

Lack of sleep not only makes us hungry, but also causes us to want to eat more unhealthy, fatty food, or foods with high sugar content. This is why after a sleepless night we often want to eat something sweet. 

10. Sleep is essential for sex 

If your sex drive has been low recently, you should think about the amount you slept in the past few days. Men and women lose interest in sex because of the changes in hormonal balance which is connected to the amount of sleep. Every hour of sleep increases libido by roughly 14 percent.

On average, we spend a third of our lives sleeping, and this third is very important for our quality of life. Because of this, any problems that may appear with our sleep need to be rectified and not ignored. Even if you only sleep poorly for one week out of every month, know that your life is being shortened by several years. Your ability to concentrate will also significantly decrease, your memory will degrade, and your overall lifeforce will wane. So it’s better to deal with the problem, don’t put it off, and your life will be exciting and full. Sleep well!