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Sleep is essential for health, wellbeing and survival. Most healthy people spend about a third of the day sleeping which means we spend about one third of our life in the bed. WHY? Isn’t it just a waste of time? Scientists discovered that people can survive longer without food than without sleep. Sleep gives the body a rest and allows it to prepare for the next day. How much sleep is enough and how much sleep you need? While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need about 6-9 hours sleep per day.
Sleep duration is very important but the quality of sleep is also very important for your health – actually the quality of sleep that’s important to your body and mind’s ability to renew and refresh. If you sleep long enough but your sleep is regularly disturbed, your body will reply with several disturbances including unexpected tiredness, headaches, lack of concentration, decreased memory, etc.
So, GOOD SLEEP means ENOUGH and QUALITY of night sleep. Good Sleep is a key part of healthy lifestyle which can give you several important health benefits.
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GOOD SLEEP HEALTH BENEFITS
Good Sleep keeps heart healthy
There is a correlation between good sleep and blood vessels – lack of sleep could trigger inflammatory response in cardiovascular system, increased blood pressure and high levels of cholesterol. Scientists discovered that clients with good sleep (7-9 hours deep sleep) have reduced chances for heart diseases (heart attack, stroke).
Good Sleep could prevent stress
Lack of good sleep trigger production of stress hormones and provoke stress.
Good sleep can definitely reduce levels of stress and good sleep helps to control emotions and blood pressure.
Good Sleep improve your memory
During deep night sleep body is resting and brain is processing whole day information (connecting events, feelings, actions and classifying them).
Good deep sleep is very important time for brain memories and links – with good sleep you can remember and analyze things much better.
Good Sleep could keep your ideal weight
Scientists discovered that overweight and obese women sleep less than 7-7.5 hours per day. At the same time the link between sleep deprivation and obesity was noted. It was discovered that lack of good sleep change levels of hormones responsible for appetite. Sleep and body metabolism are controlled by the same sectors of the brain. People who don’t sleep enough have higher levels of ghrelin, the hormone that triggers appetite, and lower levels of leptin, the hormone that inform the brain about fullness.
Good Sleep Curb Inflammation
Recent studies demonstrated that people who get less sleep (3-5 hours per day) have higher blood levels of inflammatory proteins - C-reactive protein, which is associated with heart attack risk, was higher. It means good sleep curb inflammation.
Good Sleep could prevent some types of cancer
Good sleep in darkness is very important. Some night working professions could be responsible for breast and colon cancer. The key is level of melatonin in people who are exposed to light at night - light exposure reduces the level of melatonin, a hormone that both makes us sleepy and protects us against cancer. Melatonin can also suppress the growth of tumors. This is why it is important to have good sleep in darkness.
Good Sleep reduce risks for depression
Good sleep is responsible for levels of serotonin – “happy hormone” produced during the day. Good sleep is preparing our body for serotonin production. It is well known that people with a deficiency in serotonin are more likely to suffer from depression.
Good sleep (deep 7-9 hours) insures emotional stability and prevents depression.
Good Sleep insure body repairs
Generally speaking the sleep is a time for body to repair damages caused by daytime activities (stress, physical movements, intellectual work, ultraviolet rays, etc.). Body cells produce more protein during sleep and protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair damages.
Good sleep insures all complex body repairs.
Good Sleep prevents diabetes
Lack of good sleep can influence insulin production - missing out on deep sleep increases your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Good sleep is controlling blood sugar levels and reducing your risk of diabetes.
Good Sleep gives you life energy
The energy loss from short and/or interrupted sleep has a huge impact on well-being.
Good sleep saves up a lot of energy during whole night and saved energy can be used during day time. This extra energy is important during waking hours to get you through the day activities (work, gym, art, vacation, etc.).
Good Sleep slows aging
Human growth hormone (HGH) is a key in aging. Without good sleep your body can not produce enough of HGH which needs to maintain healthy tissue and organs.
During good sleep our body is producing enough concentrations of HGH. With aging our pituitary gland produces less HGH, which makes getting good deep sleep even more important.
Good Sleep support immune system
Some scientists prove that lack of good sleep disrupts the immune system – lack of good sleep inhibits disease-fighting T cells and increases inflammatory cytokines. Lack of good sleep increases the body sensitivity and responses to viruses – it increases the frequency of Colds and Flu.
Good deep sleep just strengthens your immune system.
Good Sleep is important for your skin
Good sleep deficit is always visible on your face – dry and sallow skin, wrinkles, skin discoloration and droopy eyelids.
Hormones secreted during good sleep help improve skin quality and smooth fine lines and wrinkles. Good sleep is a crucial component of looking good.
Good Sleep avoids accidents
Insufficient sleep for just one night can be as detrimental to your driving ability as having an alcoholic drink – lack of good sleep increases risk of car accidents. Main reason for increased risks is decreased attention and slow reactions after bad night sleep.
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