It's no secret that a good night's sleep has a positive impact on health and well-being, yet many people put it on the sidelines and sleep too little. Stop it! Lack of sleep will only bring you negative thoughts and irritability, and in the worst case, even health problems. Here are 6 ways a good night's sleep can improve your health.
It is known to be good and sufficient sleep very important. But what does this term actually mean? Experts estimate that the average adult needs approx 8 hours sleep, but this sleep must also be quality. This means that between him we do not wake up, which is mainly a result of stress, and that we behave in our own way biological clock. So that every night we go to bed at around the same hour and at about the same time in the morning also let's wake up. In what ways does good sleep have a positive effect on your health?
Photo: Dominic Sansotta/Unsplash1. Improves mental health
Everyone is familiar with the feelings of irritability that follow a sleepless night. However, these are not the only problems that lack of sleep can lead to. Research has shown that one in four people report an improvement in their symptoms of depression and anxiety after improving their sleep habits. This is because not getting enough rest can cause our body to produce increased levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and also negatively affect the functioning of the parts of the brain responsible for rationalizing worry or irrational thoughts. Thus, lack of sleep can exacerbate your existing mental problems.
2. Increases productivity
Many people sleep too little in order to save the time they spend on work and study. However, experts warn that your motivation and productivity will be at a much higher level if you get enough sleep. This will also make it easier for you to concentrate and make fewer mistakes at work, while also completing it faster. Therefore, the argument that you lack time is not true in many cases.
Photo: Anastasiia Chepinska / Unsplash3. Improves the immune system
A good night's sleep is considered one of the best medicines, and for good reason. It has been proven that a chronic lack of sleep can negatively affect the ability of the immune system to fight viruses and infections, while quality sleep improves its functioning. Not only will you be more susceptible to a variety of illnesses if you don't get enough sleep, you'll also have a harder time recovering from them.
4. Helps in weight management
Lack of rest has a negative impact on metabolism. After just four days of poor sleep, your body's ability to process insulin is impaired, meaning your body will have a harder time processing fat, which can lead to weight gain in the long run. Not only that, it also negatively affects the brain's impulses that tell you when you're full. This will make it harder for you to resist food cravings and eat more than you need.
5. It has a positive effect on heart health
Sleep is essential to keep the heart muscle working. Those who do not get enough rest have a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke. That's because disturbed sleep is associated with higher levels of the protein CRP, which experts have linked to cardiovascular disease.
6. It is a natural pain reliever
Yes, you read that right. Many studies have found a link between poor sleep and increased sensitivity to pain. This is because lack of sleep can negatively affect the parts of the brain responsible for regulating pain, causing you to feel discomfort that you normally wouldn't. One study even found that after just one night of sleep deprivation, the area of the brain that detects pain becomes overloaded, while the activity of regions that help regulate the pain response is reduced. In short, the worse your sleep, the lower your pain threshold.
