In the past, sleep studies and the effects of your sleeping pattern on your overall health were often ignored. This has completely changed in today’s world as there is significant evidence to prove how the number of hours we sleep every night can have direct impacts on our health.
According to this article (and many others online) a lack of quality sleep can negatively affect the body in a variety of different ways.
Some doctors even noted that people who get less than 6 hours of sleep each night might be at a much greater risk of developing serious conditions compared to others who get a full 8 hours.
Now that we understand the possible risks caused by a lack of sleep, let’s take a look at how our physical health and mental well-being benefit from a good night’s sleep.
Maintaining Healthy Weight and Glowing Skin
Many people who follow a balanced diet and a good exercise routine might stand astonished at a stubborn scale needle without recognizing the reason. This might be a result of several bad habits, including irregular sleeping patterns and not getting enough sleep every night. A good night’s sleep not only aids in maintaining a normal healthy weight, but it can also have a great impact on your skin and hair. If you are doing everything that you should without any improvement in your weight, skin, or hair, you might want to take a second look at your sleeping cycle.
A Sharper Brain
Tossing and turning around every night might be caused due to the suffering from some mental or physical health issues. However, sometimes, the reason might be much simpler and easier to change. Your bedroom and the comfort level of your bedding could be the main reason why you find it hard to fall asleep or remain asleep throughout the night. You can easily change that by going through different reviews for comfortable mattresses and medical pillows to find the perfect ones for you. You will find that your concentration levels and memory drastically improve once you are able to sleep soundly each night.
Mental Well-Being
Just like babies, adults who don’t get enough sleep each night are more likely to wake up cranky. While you are sleeping, your brain starts processing different emotions that you are dealing with and the bad experiences you have gone through during the day. Think of your refreshing slumber as a reset button that your brain helps you with to overcome bad days. If you cut your sleeping time short, you will be subjected to more negative emotional reactions than positive ones. Some studies even proved that the reason behind depression in some of the participants was linked to their suffering with insomnia. Chronic lack of sleep will not only make you likely to meet the new day with a bad mood, but it can put you at a higher risk for a number of mental disorders including depression, anxiety, and panic disorder.
Read More: 5 tips on how to sleep comfortably and healthily
Reducing Inflammation
Since a good night’s sleep can help greatly in reducing stress, a lack of sleep can produce higher than normal levels of the stress hormone. Increased levels of cortisol will not only lead to weight gain, lower energy levels, and memory issues. But it can also increase inflammation as we grow older and might lead to a fast decline in our health in various aspects. This is why a refreshing slumber is necessary to reduce inflammation and consequently diminish the risk of some related serious conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and heart-related conditions.
Healthier Heart
This might be one of the most detrimental impacts caused by sleeping disorders. An irregular and insufficient sleeping pattern isn’t as simple as suffering from a bad hair day. Some studies have found direct links between people who suffer from insomnia and their chances of getting heart disease. The sleeping hormone, melatonin, that your brain gushes out at night to help you fall asleep helps your blood pressure to go down. This leaves a chance for your heart and vessels to take some rest. Without this rest, you are constantly overworking your heart. While this might be okay during your adolescence, the negative impact of not having a good night’s sleep starts showing up in your older years. This is why it’s critical to ensure the comfort of your bed and that you are getting enough sleep each night.
If you are dealing with low energy levels, the inability to concentrate and stay alert, mood swings, and unexplained weight gain, then you might want to start paying attention to your sleeping pattern. Health starts with good bodily functions that are associated with getting enough sleep every night. You need at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night to improve the quality of your life and to also aid in reducing the risk of serious diseases. With the help of the above mentioned tips, you all set for a good night’s sleep.
